New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson will miss the start of the regular season after offseason ankle surgery, league sources confirmed to ESPN, leaving an already thin center spot for New York even thinner entering the regular season.
Robinson, who played 31 games last season after undergoing ankle surgery in December, reinjured his foot/ankle during New York’s first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers and missed the final six games of the Knicks’ second-round series against the Indiana Pacers .
The Knicks aim for Robinson to return sometime in December or January, sources said, although his eventual return will be dictated by his rehabilitation process.
The center spot for New York was already a significant question entering the season, in the wake of last year’s primary starter for most of the season, Isaiah Hartenstein, signing a three-year, $87 million deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In addition to Robinson, New York re-signed Precious Achiuwa to a one-year, $6 million deal over the summer and also has four-year center Jericho Sims on its roster.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said in an interview with NBA.com last week that he also sees scenarios where Julius Randle, who has a $30.9 million player option for the 2025-26 season, could also step in at center. in the row of small balls. Thibodeau has rarely tended to go that route in the past not only during his stint with the Knicks, but also in previous stops as a head coach with the Timberwolves and Bulls, instead preferring to have size and rim protection anchoring his defense at the pivot.
Robinson’s news comes after a very busy summer in New York, one that saw the Knicks pull off one of the shock moves of the offseason by acquiring Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets, marking the first trade between the two franchises in 40 years.
New York also signed Thibodeau and star guard Jalen Brunson to new contract extensions and re-signed free agent forward OG Anunoby to a five-year, $212.5 million contract.
