New York Knicks News

Home

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Dec 13, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) attempts to grab the rebound as Orlando Magic Paolo Banchero (5) looks on during the first quarter at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Knicks Should Keep Mitchell Robinson Despite Injury Concerns

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Steven Simineri | Last updated Jan 14, 2026 5:00 PM ET

To the surprise of many, tonight’s New York Knicks injury report doesn’t include Mitchell Robinson. The team plays their sixth back-to-back of the season later in Sacramento and tomorrow night against Golden State. The eight year veteran has yet to play on consecutive nights this season due to trying to manage his balky left ankle and minutes.

The fragile big man has missed 23 games or more in three of the last five years. He might be in management mode for the rest of his career, but Robinson’s been mostly healthy so far this year and too important to put in bubble wrap. Despite mostly playing in spurts and averaging less than 20 minutes a night (19.4), the seven-foot center has been a wrecking ball.

Few players in the league control the paint on both sides of the ball like Robinson. And nobody in league history is pulling in offensive rebounds like he is currently. The all-time record for most offensive rebounds per-36 minutes over the course of a full season belongs to Moses Malone with 6.6. In 27 games this season, Robinson is averaging a whopping 8.8 per-36.

Robinson Is Rebounding At A Historic Rate

Robinson leads the NBA in offensive rebounds per game with 4.6 and he's pulling down 26.1 percent of offensive rebounds. He has 43 more offensive rebounds this season than shot attempts, which has been a talking point as he’s taken his desire for more touches to social media numerous times. His trainer, Marcell Scott, took to Instagram last month pleading his case.

“Get 23 involved offensively, he will make free throws!” Scott said about Robinson’s free throw woes. “Rebounding is easy cuz he is a dog. But, if you don’t his feel or touch is not in sync! A free throw coach means nothing, I’m telling you get him involved EARLY!”

Early in the season, Robinson was chasing the wrong kind of history and making a run at Ben Wallace’s single-season record for lowest free throw percentage at 33.6%. He started the year 6-of-28 (21%) from charity stripe. Since then he’s knocked down 10 of his last 13, including making those ten in a row, and teams stopped deploying the Hack-A-Mitch strategy. The career 51.5% free throw-shooter is up to 39% on the season.

Robinson Has Improved At The Free Throw Stripe Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Aside from catching lobs, Robinson isn't a threat scoring but is clearly a player teams have to game plan for. There’s arguably no worse offensively skilled player who has much gravity and an offensive impact as he does, especially at turning missed shots into second chance wide open 3's for his teammates.

The homegrown Robinson is a forever fan favorite. The 2018 second round pick, who's the last link of the dark days of David Fizdale, has become an integral part of the greatest era of Knicks basketball since the 90’s. The New Orleans native is one of just two players from his entire draft class to still be with their original team – the other is Jaren Jackson Jr.. That could change this summer.

The longest tenured Knick is in the last year of his contract, earning $12.95 million. Talks about a new deal fell through in September. On the open market, pending his health, Robinson could fetch the $15 million mid-level exception. Re-signing him will likely put New York over the second apron, restricting their ability to improve the roster. But they hold his full bird rights and can exceed the tax to bring him back and have no assets to replace him if he walks.

Robinson Is Set To Hit Free-Agency In The Summer

If Leon Rose feels like there’s a real threat that he walks this summer, he could consider selling high with the 27-year old in one piece at the moment and moving him at the trade deadline. But Robinson's value to this team winning a championship today trumps any future value Rose can bring back in a trade.

In the meantime, the mission for Robinson is simple. Get to April and beyond healthy, even if it means sitting some games with load management. Because without him, the Knicks can’t accomplish their ultimate goal of a championship. Re-signing him, however, wouldn’t be so simple.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: