Report: Bulls Top Threat to Sign Mitchell Robinson Away From Knicks in Free Agency
The New York Knicks could be very busy this summer. Not only do they own the No. 11 pick in the NBA Draft, which gets underway on June 23 in Brooklyn, but they've also been tied to a handful of free agency and trade rumors as well.
One of the big questions of this offseason has to do with the unrestricted free agency of Mitchell Robinson. In four years with the Knicks, Robinson has averaged 8.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and two blocks per game while shooting an outstanding 72.2 percent from the field. The only problem is that he's only averaging a little over 29 games played per season over that four-year stretch since being drafted out of Western Kentucky in 2018.
Regardless of his overall injury history, though, Robinson played in 72 games for the Knicks this past season, and he will have no shortage of suitors lining up for his services when the July 1 free agency bell rings. According to a report by the NY Post, the Chicago Bulls might be the biggest threat to lure Robinson away from the Knicks.
The Post has learned the Bulls are continuing to do their research on Robinson ahead of the July 1 free-agency period. The Bulls could be the main competitors for Robinson if the Knicks don’t lock him up to a contract extension on June 30.
The Bulls want to enhance their interior defense and believe Robinson could be a good fit slotted alongside offensive center Nikola Vucevic. Chicago reportedly has $49 million in cap space but that’s before they commit to free agent Zach Lavine — if they do commit.
Due to a lack of teams with cap space this summer, Robinson's market isn't as big as it might've been in previous years. Regardless, whether he stays in New York or moves on to another city, one thing is for sure – he's going to get a hefty pay raise from his current $1.5 million per year rookie salary. Many expect Robinson's price tag to be in the $10-12 million per year ballpark.
