It is NBA trade deadline week.
The New York Knicks have been in very little rumors before this year’s deadline. Mitchell Robinson is the Knicks’ best trade chip.
Robinson has not played all season as he continues to rehab a foot injury he suffered last year. His $14 million cap hit this season makes him a perfect trade candidate since most tradable players around the league are in that salary range.
Best possible trade scenario
The Knicks have many ways to utilize Mitchell Robinson’s contract.
Since Robinson’s deal is guaranteed at $12.9 million through 2025-26, the Knicks could acquire a player on an expiring contract to flush out that $12.9 million cap hit.
New York would then have room under the first apron and be eligible for a signing exception, the TMLE (tax mid-level exception), which is about $5-6 million. Using the TMLE would make the Knicks hard-capped at the second apron again. However, using the exception is likely worth the hassle of staying below the second apron.
According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, the Knicks could be interested in forward Chris Boucher. Boucher is on an expiring contract of $10.8 million for 2024-25. Boucher fits the Knicks’ needs at the forward positions, shooting 37% from three-point range. In the same deal, New York could look to acquire Ochai Agbaji, who will turn 25 years old in April. Agbaji is shooting a career-best 40% from behind the arc on about four attempts per game.
Agbaji is under contract for $6.3 million, so if the Knicks made this trade, they would only save $6.6 million in 2025-26. However, if they wanted to spend the full $12.9 million on Robinson’s contract, they could substitute Davion Mitchell instead of Agbaji. Mitchell’s contract expires next summer when he becomes a restricted free agent.
The Raptors would acquire some draft capital from New York in this hypothetical. The Knicks have ten available second-round picks to give Toronto.
A full trade would look like:
- Knicks acquire: Chris Boucher ($10.8M in 2024-25), Ochai Agbaji ($4.3M in 2024-25/$6.3M in 2025-26)
- Raptors acquire: Mitchell Robinson ($14.3M in 2024-25/$12.9M in 2025-26), Jericho Sims ($2.1M in 2024-25), and future second-round picks.
Why the Knicks should not move Mitchell Robinson
If the Knicks keep Robinson, where does he fit in the rotation? Does Tom Thibodeau try him in the starting lineup next to Karl-Anthony Towns?
If he starts, Robinson would replace Josh Hart in the lineup. Hart has played the best basketball of his career, almost averaging a double-double in points and rebounds. Robinson is likelier to come off the bench and play in “situational moments.” If an opposing team runs a big lineup, that is the best time to try a Towns-Robinson pairing.
Mitchell Robinson is known as a premier shot blocker in this league when healthy. The Knicks currently rank in the bottom five in blocks per game. Robinson would essentially serve as the Knicks’ trade acquisition. There is no other shot-blocking center better than him on the trade market.
New York is a better team with Robinson healthy than without him. They would only trade him if they strongly felt his foot injury would inhibit him for the rest of the season.
With only a few days until the trade deadline, we will find out soon.
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