It was surprising to see the New York Knicks not make a trade ahead of the 2022 NBA trade deadline. But, it was not from a lack of trying. Leon Rose worked the phones, but there wasn’t a deal to be made.
The goal of the front office was to move some of their veterans to open up minutes for their younger players. Cam Reddish was the name mentioned most as needing a rotation spot, but fans would love to see the likes of Obi Toppin and Miles McBride get a chance as well.
The offseason will present the Knicks another chance to move some of those veterans. Players such as Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel and Derrick Rose, who signed three-year deals in the 2021 offseason, can all be shopped as expiring deals as the third-year on their contracts are team options.
2023 is when the New York Knicks will have significant cap space again. But, a lot of that space could be used up to retain RJ Barrett, who will be in the first year of his rookie extension. Another player that the team could use some cap space on to keep around is Mitchell Robinson.
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Robinson was involved in some trade rumors leading up to the deadline, but ultimately, he remained with the team. He is eligible to be signed to an extension at any time, and if they do not, he will be an unrestricted free agent and they run the risk of losing him for nothing.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype during a recent episode of The HoopsHype Podcast, one team to keep an eye on when it comes to Robinson is the Detroit Pistons. They are looking for a long-term answer in the middle and Robinson could be it.
Mitchell Robinson would fit in well for a Pistons team that has struggled defensively, as he could anchor the team on that end of the court. Detroit has a lot of offensive-minded players that need the ball in their hands to succeed, but Robinson can make an impact without scoring the ball.
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Robinson is an excellent defensive player, as he sets the tone in the middle as their anchor. He has developed into an excellent rebounder, is a strong rim protector and his efficiency on offense is through the roof. His offensive game is limited to dunks and putbacks, which limits his impact on that end of the court, but defense is his calling card.
As things are currently situated, Robinson looks to be the future at the center spot for the New York Knicks. However, if that was the case, they would have likely locked him into a long-term deal already.
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New York could catch a break as the center position will be flooded this offseason and there aren’t many teams that will have cap space. Unfortunately for them, one of the teams that will, is the Detroit Pistons. To keep them from driving up the price, the Knicks would be best off working out an extension with Mitchell Robinson now if he is truly part of their long-term plans.
