Knicks Mailbag: With Mitchell Robinson out, will NY add a center before season starts?

SNY's Ian Begley will be responding to Knicks questions from readers. Here's the latest...

Ian...Perhaps the Knicks should trade Mitchell Robinson to Portland for Robert Williams? - @hoppysport

This brings up a major question for the Knicks: do you start the season with what you have or do you try to make a trade immediately to replace the injured Mitchell Robinson?

As noted on Wednesday, the Knicks have expressed confidence in the depth and versatility of the team in the aftermath of the Robinson news. In speaking with people in touch with the team, the Knicks seem to be open to seeing how the current roster looks at the moment. They haven’t given the impression that they are rushing to trade for a starting-caliber center.

I can say this with certainty: they’ve known for weeks that Robinson may not be ready for the start of the season. This was communicated to outside parties by the Knicks when they were looking at the center market in the offseason. I don’t know exactly when the Knicks knew of Robinson’s current timetable. But it’s fair to assume that the timeline wasn’t a huge surprise internally.

I point that out because if you look at the Knicks’ recent signings – Landry Shamet, Marcus Morris Sr. – they haven’t operated like a team desperate for a starting-caliber center.

Maybe that changes based on what they see in training camp or the preseason. But the Knicks don’t have many avenues to salary match in trades unless you include Robinson (injured), Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo or Julius Randle. Also, Tom Thibodeau already said on the record that he is comfortable playing Julius Randle at center for 15 minutes per game.

That theoretically leaves 33 minutes between Jericho Sims, Precious Achiuwa, and maybe rookie Ariel Hukporti. The Knicks also added Morris with the idea that he can play stretch 4 or stretch 5 against smaller lineups at this point in his career.  

Something else worth noting: outside of Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, what back-to-the-basket threat will the Knicks have to deal with in the Eastern Conference? That’s not to discount what Robinson and the departed Isaiah Hartenstein meant to the Knicks. They were both pivotal to New York’s success, particularly on the offensive glass. The Knicks will need to find a way to make up for the loss of second-chance points that will come with the absence of Robinson (and Hartenstein).

But it’s not like they will have to face Alonzo Mourning and Shaquille O’Neal three-to-four times this season.

So you can see how the Knicks might feel comfortable entering the season with the current roster.

But make no mistake: this team is in a championship window. The Mikal Bridges trade opened the window. So there has to be a sense of urgency to win games. There is a risk in rolling out the current roster in the regular season. And by playing small-ball lineups, you are asking Thibodeau to go away from a formula that has worked well for much of his Knicks tenure: playing two traditional centers in the rotation.

So I would assume New York is aggressive in the trade market after Dec. 15 (when most 2024 free agent signees can be traded). Or before Dec. 15, if it becomes clear that the current alignment isn’t working.

Other teams know the Knicks will be looking for a center. So New York won’t be dealing from a position of strength.

But there should be several serviceable centers available on the trade market.

We’ve noted previously that the Knicks had interest in Nick Richards, Goga Bitadze, Walker Kessler, Jonas Valanciunas, Clint Capela and Andre Drummond at various points in the 2024 offseason.

Depending on how things go for their respective teams, some of those veteran centers may be available via trade.

A few thoughts here: It’s hard to see a scenario where Drummond gets traded from Philadelphia, as the Sixers need a quality backup for Embiid.

The Magic invested significantly in Bitadze. So it seems far-fetched that they would be open to moving him this season.

Capela has been a part of trade talks for the past several transaction cycles. So it doesn’t seem like a stretch to assume he’d be available for the right return.

Richards is eligible to be moved now and Charlotte seems to be starting from scratch. So it’s not a huge leap to think that Charlotte may be open to moving Richards during the season.

Kessler is under contract. The Knicks were among a group of teams to check in with Utah on Kessler in the offseason. Utah wanted multiple first-round picks at the time. Will the Jazz make Kessler available ahead of the deadline? Will a team meet their asking price? Depending on where the Knicks and the Jazz are in mid-December, it may make sense to revive those Kessler talks.

I’ll always put Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns on a list of potential Knicks centers. But trades of that magnitude rarely happen during the season. And again, New York would have to move at least one of Randle, Hart or DiVincenzo to make a deal for Towns.

I’d put Robert Williams III on this list because Portland has two starting-caliber centers (Williams and DeAndre Ayton) and selected big man Donovan Clingan at No. 7 in the 2024 NBA Draft. Ime Udoka was a big fan of Williams from their time together in Boston. With Alperen Sengun, Steven Adams and Jock Landale on the roster, there is no room for Williams in Houston. But maybe the Rockets change their roster, creating room for Williams? Regardless of what happens in Houston, the 26-year-old Williams should have plenty of suitors if Portland decides to take calls on him.

I’d add Ayton to the list because the Knicks have had interest in him -- and have done background work on him -- in the past. Ayton averaged 22.7 points and 12.5 rebounds (3.6 offensive) in 18 games played after the All-Star break last season. He shot 58 percent from the field during that stretch and has playoff/NBA Finals experience.

(*I’m not saying here that the Knicks have spoken to the Blazers about Ayton. So, please don’t suggest in aggregation that they have. Thank you.)

Teams may make their players available via trade if they struggle during the season. I think Chicago’s Nikola Vucevic and Toronto’s Jakob Poeltl are two names to watch in this scenario. I’m sure there will be others. Detroit is worth keeping an eye on. The team is under new leadership in president Trajan Langdon. I’d bet the total cost of two courtside seats at MSG that the Knicks have at least touched base with Detroit on Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren.

QUICK HITTERS

Does this mean they can get both Marcus Morris and Shamet a roster spot since there’s like an injury spot? - @AsaGates3

There is no additional roster spot in the wake of Robinson’s updated timeline. The Knicks have 14 players on traditional NBA deals and have room for one more traditional NBA contract. So they can keep Morris OR Shamet on traditional NBA deals. But they can’t keep both unless they waive a rostered player currently signed to a traditional deal

Hate to put you on the spot but if you had to guess who would be the starting Center next season, who would it be? Sims or Achiuwa? We do know Thibs loves continuity and Sims is the “closest” in terms of play style to what Mitch provided. - @insidethearc__

My first guess is Sims starting and Achiuwa backing him up. This answer assumes that Randle is not ready to start the season. We should get an update from Thibodeau next week on Randle’s status. For what it’s worth, I didn’t take this answer from Thibodeau as a guarantee that Randle will be on the court at the start of camp. If he is on the court to start camp, Randle would be significantly ahead of the traditional rehab schedule. 

Mitchell Robinson missing 2 months will have a huge impact on winning. I've been consistent all summer saying I don't think the Knicks are a Top 3 team in the East. Mitch is too unreliable. God help the Knicks if OG misses games too. – @The__Cooler

I agree with Cooler on the magnitude of Robinson’s injury. I think it’s a big deal. And it’s fair to say that any team that pencils in Robinson for 75 regular season games is making a mistake. He has a history of suffering significant injuries. But let’s not forget how Robinson’s most recent injury occurred. It was a takedown from Embiid in the Knicks-Sixers series. And let’s not forget that Robinson returned to the court ahead of schedule at the end of the regular season because he wanted to be there when it mattered. Just my opinion, but I think that context should be included in any analysis of Robinson.