Liam Robbins May Have Secured a Future With Knicks on Thursday

His outlook is slowly becoming clear.

Liam Robbins is increasing his chances of sticking with the Knicks. | USA TODAY Sports

The Knicks might just have a real center option on their hands in Liam Robbins at the NBA Summer League.

After a strong third game—where Robbins notched 15 points, four blocks and two steals—the Vanderbilt alum turned heads again against the Warriors on Thursday with 13 points and another four blocks.

Most notably, this was also Robbins' best game on glass, as he grabbed nine boards (including three on offense). Strong rebounding was the proverbial last box that needed to be checked off, and now that he's demonstrated his capabilities there, New York can no longer afford to let him loose after Vegas.

Liam Robbins is worth Knicks taking a chance on after his Summer League surge

The Knicks' reality at center made Robbins a player to watch in Vegas. Without a third-string option behind Andre Drummond, Robbins stood out given his offensive talents, knack for blocking shots and size as a true seven-footer.

Two quiet opening games didn't showcase what the ex-Buck is capable of, yet Monday against the Pistons demonstrated Robbins' ability to score (including from deep) and his playmaking on that side of the ball with three assists. And on the other end, Robbins was a legitimate difference-maker with six combined "stocks" (steals plus blocks).

The one area where Robbins left a bit to be desired was on the glass, as he failed to notch more than five rebounds in any of his previous three appearances.

That changed on Thursday, though, and he did so against a strong Warriors team that not only had 45 rebounds against New York, but also features 2026 No. 11 overall pick Yaxel Lendeborg (whom Robbins actually out-rebounded 9-6)

"I'm someone who can come in, give good energy, play D and play The Knick Way…championship effort"

–– Center prospect Liam Robbins to @CassidyHubbarth as Knicks get 1st summer W:

🫈15 points
🫈6-13 FG
🫈1 three
🫈5 boards
🫈3 offensive
🫈3 assists
🫈2 steals
🫈4 blocks pic.twitter.com/yWSGuLmX84

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) July 13, 2026

His work on the boards wasn't exactly elite in college, as Robbins never had more than 7.1 rpg in a season despite his height. Even this past season as an NBA G League regular, Robbins averaged only 4.8 rpg.

But now, he's flashed serious potential in that department to the Knicks. This makes Robbins no longer just an interesting tryout or a fun player to watch score and block shots, but a center worth investing some time in post-Vegas.

At 27, with only 13 career NBA games so far, there's still a ton left to be discovered with the big man. He's not going to remain much of a secret after his latest string of Summer League performances, though, which means New York needs to act.

The easiest way to keep Robbins off the market is by signing him to the roster outright. The Knicks wouldn't even need to fully guarantee the deal given his small NBA resume, but an opportunity like that with the defending champs would be too good for Robbins to pass up.

However, New York likely wouldn't go that route—unless there's a bidding war for his services—given that Robbins is still unproven. The team may prefer a veteran who's still available to sign over Robbins since they need someone they can trust to slot in immediately.

The Knicks could then target Robbins on a two-way contract, which is more fitting for a player who's done well in Summer League but isn't a sure thing. This would leave a main roster spot open for a more premium name, but it would still give Robbins a chance to play in both the G League and NBA as New York gathers more insight on him as a player.

That's the ideal scenario, given there are trades the team could pursue to land a strong third center. Meanwhile, it'd allow Robbins to be developed under their roof and called upon whenever there's an opportunity to test his mettle against NBA competition.

New York doesn't need to overreact to a couple of good showings from Robbins, but it should recognize that he's got the makings of a promising developmental project.

With the flexibility a two-way contract provides and few pressing players from Summer League to retain, using one of the team's allotted three slots on Robbins makes all the sense in the world.