The New York Knicks have already been very busy this offseason. They made multiple trades during the 2022 NBA Draft, completing deals with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons.
All in all, on draft night, the Knicks traded away Kemba Walker, the No. 11 overall pick and four future second-round picks for three future first-round picks. They also selected Trevor Keels out of Duke with their second-round pick.
The moves didn’t stop there. On a crusade to clear as much cap space as possible, the Knicks made another trade with the Detroit Pistons. This time, they unloaded Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks, giving the Pistons their 2023 second-round pick back and a 2024 second-round pick via the Miami Heat. They also included $6 million in the deal.
With $30 million in salary now cleared, the Knicks are expected to be where Jalen Brunson lands in free agency. Move moves could be on the horizon, as the Knicks cleared a lot more cap space than they needed to sign him.
LATEST NBA FREE AGENCY NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: New York Knicks Now Expected To Land Jalen Brunson
One of those moves includes re-signing starting center, Mitchell Robinson. It is being reported that he will return to the team on a four-year deal that totals in the neighborhood of $60 million in total earnings.
There was some thought that the New York Knicks would move on from Robinson this offseason as the contract that he was seeking was more than they were comfortable giving to him. But, with the unexpected cap space, New York now has more flexibility to make some moves.
Mitchell Robinson has improved every season that he has been in the NBA. He is a legitimate presence in the paint with his size and athleticism, blocking two shots per game in his career. His rebounding has gotten better as well, as he averaged a career-high 8.6 per game last season.
LATEST NBA FREE AGENCY NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: New York Knicks Now Expected To Land Jalen Brunson
Expanding his offensive repertoire would be an added bonus, but if he continues making the strides that he has on the defensive end, he will be worth the contract that he signed.
