Knicks Have 2 Options Next in Line If Mitchell Robinson Misses Time

The New York Knicks' plans for the NBA Finals could change in a big way if Mitchell Robinson can’t tough it through a broken right pinky finger. ESPN's Shams Charania reported earlier Friday that the longest-tenured Knick underwent surgery and plans to play while wearing a brace on his hand.

Robinson reportedly had surgery on Tuesday, meaning he will get eight days of recovery time. Since 2005, the quickest return from a pinkie fracture that needed surgery in the NBA is 14 days, according to injury analyst Jeff Stotts. So it sounds like like he is going to try to beat that timetable.

Wearing a brace might not be a huge factor considering 489 of the 492 shots Robinson has attempted since the start of the 2023-24 season have been dunks or layups, per Tommy Beer. And it's not like Robinson could make free throws with two good pinkies as he shot an abysmal 2-for-14 from the charity stripe in the Conference finals.

Should Robinson miss any time at all in the Finals, coach Mike Brown will be forced to dust off one or both of Ariel Hukporti and Jeremy Sochan. Their six fouls would be valuable against either Oklahoma City or San Antonio. But who gets more run might largely depend on what team comes out of the Western Conference.

Ariel Hukporti, Jeremy Sochan give Knicks different looks should Robinson sit in Finals

If Oklahoma City wins Game 7 over the weekend, Sochan in small-ball lineups could work and he can even hang with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on defense. The six-foot-seven forward's switchability and personality is something the Knicks could use.

It will be harder to field smaller lineups against Victor Wembanyama's Spurs. Sochan, who spent the first three and a half years of his career in San Antonio, knows his former teammate well, but that might be more of a task for the seven-footer Hukporti.

During the regular season, the Knicks won the Wemby minutes in two of the three meetings. The seven-foot-four Frenchman was a -18, +17 and -15. The games in which New York lost his minutes, Robinson didn't play. However, Hukporti was a +13 in 14 minutes in that game.

The second-year pro was drafted was drafted 58th overall in the 2024 draft and was Mr. Irrelevant. The German-born big man plays with a ton of energy and impacts games without scoring. He saw action in 54 games during the regular season and has logged 75 playoff minutes over the past two springs, mostly during garbage time.

Meanwhile, the Knicks picked Sochan up off the scrap heap on the buyout market. The 23-year old never really got a chance with the Knicks. He was the only player to not appear in the Conference Finals for a single second. He owns an unorthodox style of play and is a non-factor on offense.

The little-used Sochan provides New York with insurance off the bench

There’s a chance the Knicks simply lean into small ball lineups with OG Anunoby at the 5. Either way it will be crucial that Karl-Anthony Towns stays out of foul trouble. Both possible opponents make life in the paint difficult. We all know about the Thunder’s gifted whistle and Towns' propensity for silly fouls.

The absence of Robinson would be a massive one, regardless of opponent. We will find out if Robinson plays through the pain. Otherwise, we will have to find out if Hukporti can defend well enough to hold down a rotation spot. Or if Sochan can play big enough to get on the court.

Those latter two questions Knicks fans hope to not find out the answer to unless absolutely necessary.

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