If there’s one Knick that us fans can say we know the best, it’s Mitchell Robinson.
Big Meech is the longest tenured MSG resident by a _significant_ margin, having been around the franchise since being drafted in 2018. And if the 2018 NBA Draft seems like a long time ago, that’s because it is. The Knicks’ first round pick that year? Kevin Knox. It feels like a lifetime ago.
To paint a picture, Mitch’s first career start was alongside Tim Hardaway Jr., Damyean Dotson, Frank Ntilikina, and Noah Vonleh. What a time that was. It looks a little different than the Brunson/Bridges/Anunoby/KAT lineup that he suited up with this postseason.
The point being - we know what to expect out of Robinson. We’ve seen ups and downs along Mitch’s career, from his early career foul-trouble woes to his defensive domination against Joel Embiid in the 2024 playoffs. He’s beloved in the city of New York, and he remains a key piece to a championship contending team that invested in him seven years ago in the midst of the darkest days.
However, there’s a not-so-subtle elephant in the room that always comes up when talking about Robinson. It was the case in 2018. It was the case in 2021. And it is just as much as the case today.
To no fault of his own, Robinson simply can’t stay healthy.
While it hasn’t quite added up to a what-if story, over his seven years in NY, Mitch has averaged only 48 appearances a year. Over the past two seasons, he _combined_ to play in 48 games.
Last year’s playoffs proved to the New York staff that Mitch deserves the fifth starting spot with Josh Hart coming off the bench, and it looks like he’ll start the season off in that role. But the Knicks have to tread _very_ carefully around Robinson through the grind that is the regular season, and priority number one has to be keeping him healthy come playoff time.
The Knicks’ brass has taken notice. Per Ian Begley:
It would be nice to see Big Mitch play in ~60 or 70 games this season, but I can’t imagine most people would mind treading cautiously and incorporating some load m\*nagement around Mitch.
When healthy, he’s shown that he can be one of the most impactful defenders and offensive rebounders around the league. Let’s hope that the New York staff can find the right balance between keeping him healthy and giving him some run during the year.
Remember, it’s all about the chase for a ring. It all starts Wednesday, New York.
See More: