3 Positives of Knicks Letting Mitchell Robinson Walk

The Knicks' move from Robinson to Andre Drummond actually nets them some positives in the grand scheme of things.

May 21, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) shoots a foul shot against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter of game two of the eastern conference finals during the 2026 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Let's get one thing straight: Mitchell Robinson is better than Andre Drummond. The recently signed Celtics big man is a significantly superior defender and finisher around the rim, while being a better offensive rebounder. In an ideal world where second aprons don't exist, the Knicks would've preferred to bring Robinson back. That doesn't mean there aren't any positives of letting Robinson go, though.

Regular season reliability

During the high-pressure moments of the playoffs when you are facing the best players, coaches, and teams in the world, you cannot have any weak links in your rotation. Robinson had a shaky postseason, but he is more reliable than Drummond during the postseason, given his high floor and potential to instantly change the game.

But during the grueling 82-game regular season, availability is one of the best abilities. And Drummond has the edge there.

Over their last five years, the regular-season games played haven't been particularly close. Robinson has missed significant time due to injuries and injury management, and has only played in 239 games during that span. That's an average of just 47.8 games per season. That number includes his 2021-22 season, in which he played 72 games. Take that out, and that's an average of just 42 games per season.

Drummond, on the other hand, has consistently been healthier. In those five seasons, he's appeared in 294 regular-season games, averaging 58.8 games. And he's appeared in 63 or more games in all but one of those seasons, while Robinson has done so just once.

The newest Knick won't have to be load-managed, meaning he can play back-to-backs. And there's a higher possibility he'll remain healthier throughout the season. Robinson may be the better player, but what Drummond doesn't have in talent, he can somewhat make up for with availability. Until the postseason comes around, that might not be such a bad thing.

Balance and security

The Knicks may have been able to bring Robinson back without going over the second apron. But that would have guaranteed that Jose Alvarado and Landry Shamet would not be coming back. And there's a chance that the Knicks would have lost Mohamed Diawara too. Robinson is good. Very good. And his unique skill set may be harder to replicate or replace than those of Alvarado's and Shamet.

But good as Robinson is, it's hard to argue that prioritizing re-signing him would have been worth sacrificing overall depth and balance. It would have meant replacing the aforementioned guards with minimum-level players. That hurts not just the bench unit, but the starters as well. We saw throughout the season, and more importantly, the postseason, just how crucial Alvarado and Shamet were because of how they can seamlessly fit in with the starters.

The Knicks would also essentially be putting all their second-unit eggs into one basket. By prioritizing Robinson over the others, they would be relying on an often-injured big man and McBride, who's set to be a free agent next summer. While losing Robinson hurts the Knicks, they now have much more balance in their second unit and are positioned better for the future with Alvarado, Shamet, and Diawara all locked up for the next few years.

No more hack-a-Mitch

When you shoot 43.6% from the free-throw line like Robinson has over his last three seasons, his skill set starts to matter less. Much like his constant injury concerns, his free-throw problems have limited his on-court availability. Even when the center was healthy, the Knicks often saw him get taken out of games in the postseason because of his free-throw woes.

Drummond isn't a great free-throw shooter, but he's serviceable. And when compared to Robinson, watching him at the line will feel like watching Stephen Curry. The backup big man is just a career 48.9% free throw shooter. But after changing his shooting mechanics, improving his conditioning, working on his mental clarity, and using virtual reality, he's become much more reliable. Over his last three seasons, he's shot 60.7% from the line.

Robinson's free-throw shooting troubles were still worth everything he offered the Knicks. But Mike Brown and the Knicks will now have a bit easier time with rotations and maintaining offensive rhythm, with hack-a-Mitch no longer part of the equation.