During an appearance on ESPN’s First Take, Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania announced that New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson will be sidelined for the rest of the year. Robinson sustained an ankle injury in Game 3 of the Knicks’ first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers and underwent surgery in May. This was the second ankle injury for Robinson this season, as he previously injured it in December. Charania indicated that Robinson is expected to return in January 2025. Given his injury history, the Knicks are prioritizing his recovery to ensure he returns at full strength. When Charania shared this news with Knicks superfan Stephen A. Smith, Smith had a strong reaction.
.@ShamsCharania revealed that Mitchell Robinson will miss the remainder of the calendar year while recovering from foot surgery.@stephenasmith couldn't believe it 😠pic.twitter.com/Mvy7ZpG7hf
— First Take (@FirstTake) October 10, 2024
The good news for Smith and Knicks fans is that the team acquired Karl Anthony Towns. Robinson’s injury would have left the Knicks without a reliable starting center at the start of the season. Charania reported that discussions about a Towns trade between New York and the Minnesota Timberwolves took place the week of the 2024 NBA Draft. During that week, the Knicks proposed a trade package involving Julius Randle and Robinson, but the Timberwolves believed Towns was worth significantly more. In the end, the Knicks decided to keep Robinson and traded Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a first-round pick for Towns, ensuring they had a capable center for the entire season. Towns made his Knicks debut on Wednesday night, scoring 25 points on seven-of-20 shooting and grabbing 12 rebounds. When Robinson recovers from his injury, the Knicks will benefit from strong center depth, but that won’t be until 2025.
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