Knicks Rival Is Helping Make Mitchell Robinson Richer This Offseason

One of the Knicks' biggest headaches in the East may be helping usher out Mitchell Robinson. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Mitchell Robinson enjoying playoff success is significant in more ways than one for the Knicks. Of course, his athletic presence has helped get the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. But this is also another opportunity for the veteran to showcase his talent to the rest of the league.

The latter is especially notable with Robinson set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He's already one of the top names among the potentially available centers, and a long playoff run with strong individual results is going to help leave an even better impression on other franchises.

However, the same can't be said for fellow big man Jalen Duren, and that might have consequences for New York this offseason.

Mitchell Robinson could now be an even bigger threat to leave Knicks after playoffs

Duren has been viewed as the gem of this center class following his development into an All-Star this season with averages of 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. His incredible athleticism, plus physical traits (7-foot-5 wingspan), put him on the track for a massive payday and to receive the bulk of the attention from teams in search of a frontcourt upgrade.

That has cast a shadow over guys in the not-quite-stars tier like Robinson with a bigger fish in the pond. But, Duren's ugly playoffs may also be giving other franchises pause and leading to more interest for the Knicks' big.

Detroit's center has gone completely missing in the postseason, putting up a paltry 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. His poor decision-making has only gotten worse under the bright lights, too, with his 1.9 turnovers per game during the regular season ballooning to 2.6 this postseason.

It's gotten so bad, Duren's own coach has had to call him out for getting beat on the boards against smaller players.

J.B. Bickerstaff to Jalen Duren:

“Ain’t no way Donovan Mitchell gets a rebound over you.”

(h/t @SMHighlights1)

pic.twitter.com/Hwx5AOq532

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 8, 2026

Put this directly in comparison with Robinson, who has gathered just over half of Duren's rebound total (48 vs. 94) despite playing just a third (131) of Duren's minutes (344) and two fewer games before Wednesday night. The imposing Robinson, who uses every bit of his 7-foot size on the floor, also never has his ability to take advantage of smaller players questioned.

It would be no surprise at all if Duren's postseason performance has turned off some would-be suitors. He's going to command a ransom as a 22-year-old player who has only gotten better each year, especially since he's also set to be a restricted free agent. Yet, this postseason calls into question how big of an impact he can really make for his next team if he's going to become a player who shrinks in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Robinson won't require nearly as much given his reserve role in recent years. This already puts him on other teams' radars as a capable veteran who could prove to be a steal in a larger role. But there's a chance he draws even more looks if teams start to rethink who'd provide the most bang for their buck if Duren's showing is enough to generate cold feet.

Jalen Duren averaged 19.5 PPG this regular season. He's scored more than 12 points ONCE in 11 playoff games, when he dropped 15.

Duren led the NBA this regular season with 68.8% TS. That has dropped to 54.4% in the playoffs.

This is one of the biggest playoff drops we've seen.

— Carson Breber (@Carsobi) May 12, 2026

With per-36 minute averages of 10.4 points and a staggering 16.1 rebounds (plus 2.1 blocks) during the 2025-26 campaign, the appeal of inking Robinson to a leading role is obvious. He doesn't come with size or impact questions, either, considering the player he's proven to be during his career; Duren, on the other hand, is still uncertain in both aspects. That's the risk of betting on an ascending player.

The fewer teams there are who believe in Duren as The Guy, the more money there is to spend on the rest of the free-agent centers. That could help boost a market Robinson is going to be right in the middle of, possibly with an NBA Finals appearance (and potentially even a ring) to prop up his value even more.

Being on a Knicks team with this much buzz just provides the big man even more attention, and he's doing everything he can, even in limited minutes, to make himself attractive. One of his peers tanking their stock stands to only benefit Robinson, who has every reason to try and cash in this offseason as he approaches one of his last big NBA deals.