Knicks Nearing Decision on Mitchell Robinson's Future

The New York Knicks are getting closer to the NBA Trade Deadline, where the future of Mitchell Robinson is expected to be determined.

Robinson, 26, has yet to play for the Knicks this season as he has been recovering from offseason ankle surgery.

With time of the essence as the Knicks embark on a playoff run, the team needs to make a decision by Feb. 6 regarding his future.

"Robinson has been injured all year, but he might return and give the Knicks a similar jolt—to say nothing of what his rim-protection might mean for a team still anchored inside by Karl-Anthony Towns," Bleacher Report analyst Grant Hughes writes.

"On the other hand, Robinson is the Knicks' most obvious trade candidate. With a $14.3 million salary this year that declines to $13.0 million next season, Robinson could bring back a rotation-caliber player. That's no small thing for a New York team that continues to run its players into the ground.

"The Knicks would have liked to see how Robinson looked next to Towns up front, but time's running out for any trial runs.

"Is Robinson a trade chip or a critical ceiling-raiser? The Knicks need to make that call by the deadline."

The Knicks should be willing to trade Robinson, but only if they can get an upgrade in return. Attaching him as salary filler in a trade with some future draft picks could be the route for the seventh-year pro out of Western Kentucky.

The Knicks hope that Robinson can be the player he was, but with a lack of playing time, they are rolling the dice on him. The best way to ensure the Robinson risk pays off is to trade him for someone a little more reliable — if the deal is on the table.