Knicks Shouldn't Dangle Mitchell Robinson in Trade Talks

December's half-way point is right around when players start feeling expendable. It's right when just about every player's made available for trade, and some teams have been less subtle about who's available for callers than others.

The New York Knicks have publicly denounced rumors that they're on the looking for a splashy move, having attempted to directly dispel the nagging Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors from earlier this month, but it doesn't take much to see why one more move may be in the Knicks' best interest. They're in a groove, improving to 18-7 and advancing all the way to the NBA Cup championship game, but they're looking well past in-season festivities and all the way ahead to a long-awaited return to Title Town.

It still feels as if they could use one more reliable rotational option to bride the gap between the talented starting lineup and their spottier reinforcements, which is where most fans begin poring through salary figures in locating valuable trade chips to flip for an outside shooter or table-setting passer. And as tempting as it may be, one potentially-tradable Knick must go untouched.

Who's on the Chopping Block?

Given the Knicks' calculations in re-upping the majority of their valued core pieces to long-term deals, New York doesn't have as many readily-available expiring pieces to deal as some of their peers may have to offer. Of that decorated starting five, only Karl-Anthony Towns remains un-extended, and the prized Knick is already due to make enough money to the point that he could only be traded for another star.

New York Knicks Center Karl-Anthony Towns — Dec 13, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts on the court during the second quarter against against the Orlando Magic at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Besides Towns, who the Knicks have an interest in continuing to build around after just acquiring him in the previous summer, Pacome Dadiet and Guerschon Yabusele stand as fringe-rotational options on tradable contracts. The sophomore Dadiet remains on his rookie extension without having ever earned much trust as a regularly-used wing, while recent signee Yabusele has failed to solidify a concrete role in Mike Brown's system.

There is one other option, though. Mitchell Robinson is only set to make $12.9 million in the last year of his deal, and he'll enter the open market as an unrestricted free agent should New York let their longtime center walk.

Robinson, the Quiet Untouchable

This may be tempting for some fans who've grown tired of Robinson's inability to shake the injury bug over his eight seasons with the Knicks, and he's taking fewer shots than ever after his brittle body prevented him from sealing a full-time starting role alongside a fellow big in Towns. But make no mistake; sending Robinson elsewhere may very likely doom the Knicks going forward.

They're already short on true centers, as the undersized Yabusele and the raw Ariel Hukporti have proven in regular visits to Brown's doghouse. And Towns, despite having made statistical strides as a defender in space, is no Robinson.

New York Knicks Center Mitchell Robinson — Dec 7, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (35) looks to post up against New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) in the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The longest-tenured Knick is the defensive anchor that they'll need in the playoffs, as he proved in their most recent push to the Eastern Conference Finals. He's comfortable under the rim and on perimeter switches alike, and the 4.5 offensive boards he's capturing in under 18 minutes per game certainly don't hurt his team rack up second-chance opportunities.

Robinson for former Knicks favorite Donte DiVincenzo has picked up steam as of late, but losing this crucial of a depth piece would actually set the contenders back as they attempt to challenge the upper-most echelon of NBA squads. Double-big lineups that can defend are the new wave, and New York's already got the players to convert on the new-age combination.

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