New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is set to make his season debut at some point “over the next week,” according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Robinson has missed the entire 2024-25 season to this point because of offseason ankle surgery. The big man has gone through “multiple full scrimmages” and has another session coming up before a final determination will be made for his actual return date.
Here’s Charania’s injury report from before the Knicks’ Sunday matinee showdown against the Boston Celtics:
Reporting for NBA Countdown on ABC — New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is closing in on his season debut: pic.twitter.com/iFJYjIriPe
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 23, 2025
New York has been waiting patiently for Mitchell Robinson’s return. While his name was in trade rumors, the Knicks kept him and traded fellow center Jericho Sims to the Milwaukee Bucks. When looking at the upcoming schedule for Robinson’s possible return date, New York has a home game on Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers before road games at the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday and at the Miami Heat on Sunday.
What Mitchell Robinson’s return means for Knicks
While the Knicks entered play Sunday with an impressive 37-19 record, they’re 0-6 against the top three teams in the NBA (Cleveland Cavaliers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics) and are lacking on the defensive side of the ball with Karl-Anthony Towns anchoring the middle. New York is just 18th in defensive rating, per NBA.com, and the hope is Mitchell Robinson will improve that and give them a better chance against the elite teams.
The question is how Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau uses Robinson. While the center will likely be eased back in, could he wind up in the starting lineup to give New York a better defensive anchor? Towns’ struggles protecting the rim and guarding pick-and-roll are well-documented, so Thibodeau might want to make a change to his starting lineup to get Robinson and his shot-blocking prowess in there.
Of course, that would mean either Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges or OG Anunoby would move to the bench. Those three are the Knicks’ leaders in minutes per game. New York gave up a ton of draft capital to acquire Bridges, just gave Anunoby a huge contract and has seen Hart turn in a career season. Hart would seem like the likeliest option of the three to move to the bench, though there’s no guarantee Thibodeau switches up his starting lineup at all.
Robinson will also have to prove he can be effective coming off this injury. While he has been a monster on defense in the past, injuries have consistently plagued him. The Knicks will have to see if he has the same mobility as before that made him such a defensive presence.
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