If the Lakers thought Mark Williams of the Hornets was not healthy enough to warrant a trade--the team rescinded a deal with Charlotte after failing Williams on a physical back in February--wait till they get a load of Mitchell Robinson. Dealing with persistent ankle issues over the past two years, Robinson has logged a grand total of just 48 games played in those seasons, and the bizarre dragging out of his injury this season was a major source of frustration for the team, the coaches and the fan base.
Robinson played 17 games this season after having undergone offseason ankle surgery--in May 2024. The recovery for that surgery was supposed to be eight-to-10 weeks, but that timeline was off only by about eight months.
Still, as the Lakers look for options to man the middle next season, the Robinson injuries may work to their benefit--they surely lower the asking price the Knicks would have on him. Robinson played a career-low 17.1 minutes last year and averaged a career-low 5.1 points and 5.9 rebounds.
Feb 5, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) defends a pass by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) in the first quarter of the game at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) defends a pass by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) in the first quarter of the game at Crypto.com Arena.
Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
According to long time New York reporter Alan Hahn, now appearing on ESPN's "Get Up" morning show, the Lakers should be actively trying to poach Robinson from the Knicks.
Everyone knows the Lakers need a center, Hahn noted. But Robinson is the center they truly need: "What you can control is filling the most important need on this roster, a center. They tried Mark Williams, he would have been a great fit. For whatever reason, that didn’t happen. I expect they will be calling every team in the league that has a big man.
"Here in New York, they should be calling about Mitchell Robinson. If the Knicks are trying to get assets, they’re trying to figure out what they need to do with their roster going forward, maybe save money, perhaps that’s a guy the Lakers should be targeting. He would be a perfect fit on that team."
It helps, too, that Robinson's four-year, $60 million contract was a descending deal, meaning he is set to make $12.9 million in the final year of his contract in 2025-26. The Lakers could deal off Gabe Vincent and, perhaps, a young asset or draft pick in a deal for Robinson, helping the Knicks solve their backup point guard issue, though leaving New York with a hole in the middle.
Robinson's health makes him a risk. But the Lakers have limited assets and a huge, obvious need. He's worth a gamble.