Losing Mitchell Robinson is the Knicks' Headache That Keeps Aching

After winning the title in San Antonio last June, the New York Knicks returned home to celebrate with the fans. The day before the parade, owner James Dolan decided to rain on it. The normally media-allergic Dolan called into WFAN to let the world know he would not allow the team to go over the second apron to re-sign Mitchell Robinson.

If the news wasn’t totally surprising—the Knicks have had virtually zero cap space for a while; something had to give, eventually—the timing was. Nearly four months later, on the verge of training camp, that news may still be having an impact inside the Knicks’ locker room. Asked about losing Robinson at Media Day, Karl-Anthony Towns was his usual open self.

“I was very surprised,” Towns said, as reported by Ian Begley. “I was very surprised that Mitch wasn’t gonna be back here with us. I think all of us were. It was a surprise to everybody. Thought something would get done there.”

Evidently the Knicks fans, front office and players were all taken aback by Dolan’s decision. Betting that Andre Drummond can provide a rough approximation of what Robinson did for one-sixth the cost is a short-term setback; losing that bet on their backup big could keep the Knicks from a run at a repeat. The risks extend in all sorts of directions.

Karl-Anthony Towns set to shoulder more than ever for the Knicks

With Mitch gone, Towns’ minutes could go up. Drummond is one of the few players in the league who can approach Robinson’s work on the offensive glass, and he’s shown some ability to move out behind the 3-point arc as a shooter. But Drummond doesn’t hold a candle to Mitch as far as foot speed or rim protection. In the past, the Knicks could sit KAT and rest somewhat easy, knowing his back-up was a premier defensive player, one they could even pair with Towns. There's no guarantee Towns can play alongside Drummond and no third center as of yet, either.

Drummond doesn’t flash to the rim as quickly nor elevate for lobs as well as Robinson. Towns has never been a franchise center defensively, something his prior teams in Minnesota and New York were okay with, having Rudy Gobert and Mitch to turn to. The last time Towns was on a team without that kind of partner in crime, the Wolves crossed their fingers and gave it a shot with Ed Davis and Greg Monroe. It did not work.

The likelihood is KAT’s minutes will go up this year, which does nothing good for his leverage as he angles for a contract extension; if anything, it potentially threatens his negotiating position. Towns has already done everything the team could have asked for and more in co-piloting them to the 2026 championship. He’s one of—at best—two 7-footers in the league who can give Victor Wembanyama fits in a playoff series. This is truly a one-of-a-kind hooper.

But all he can do this year is damage his leverage.

Towns and Drummond have never played together; inevitably there will be growing pains. If Towns is injured early on, or his numbers dip during the inevitable adjustment period, that will be held against his case for a new deal. A no-win situation for a man who’s done nothing but win since arriving at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks’ defense last year with Robinson in the game was a dream come true: three lockdown wings with a shotblocker behind them. KAT was a much more effective deterrent in the playoffs, but he’s not making $57 million this season for his defense. Robinson, the longest-tenured Knick and not someone who’d ever demanded an overpay, wanted to be back (assuming he got paid). His teammates clearly wanted him back. Besides Dolan, everybody did.

A message to the locker room

Looking back at what happened with Robinson and looking forward, with Towns, Josh Hart and Miles McBride all extension-eligible, it’s worth wondering whether the Knicks solved an acute dilemma but created a worse one in the process. Robinson spent eight years in New York, evolving from trying to block every shot the other team took to an all-time offensive rebounder and fan favorite.

If he could contribute all that he did and be cast aside like he was, what motivation will Knicks with fewer years service and larger paychecks have to try and impress the franchise? Will the new longest-tenured Knick, Miles McBride, see any point in going all-out in his walk year? Robinson wasn’t even due much of a raise, whereas Deuce will deserve one of $10-15 million.

When Jalen Brunson took more than $100 million less than he could have to re-sign a couple years ago, it was promoted as an exceptional sacrifice. But anyone could see the dark side of where that was headed, and now Towns is left to deal with it. When players like Brunson and Wembanyama give up money they deserve because it’s the only way for teams to stay together under the owners’ second-apron system, that’s their right. But it shouldn’t be weaponized to bully other players into agreeing to discounts; in KAT’s case, the Knicks are said to be looking for him to re-sign somewhere in the $40-45 million range, about a 30% cut from the $62 million player option he holds for 2027-28.

The decision to punt on re-signing Robinson makes everybody’s job harder this year. It surely puts more on KAT’s plate to deal with on the floor, while making the seeming matter of “when he re-signs” seemingly more like “if he re-signs.” And while players can say they’re just focused on the work, we know they’re human.

At Media Day, Hart was asked about the challenge of dealing with unconsummated extension talks when the lights suddenly started going out. Losing Robinson already dimmed the Knicks’ odds of repeating as title-holders. If it makes Towns’ life harder this year, he could opt-out of 2028 and be an unrestricted free agent next summer. If that were to happen, the Knicks hopes go from dim to ebon.

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