Knicks: Pros, Cons of extending Mitchell Robinson this offseason

When is the right time to re-sign Mitchell Robinson?

Despite his popularity among the fanbase and recent record-setting season, Mitchell Robinson is a bit of an unknown commodity in the NBA, something that could be beneficial to the New York Knicks as they decide how to approach his long-term contract situation.

Everyone knows Robinson has talent, but it remains to be seen whether he can reach his potential of becoming a game-changing, two-way player.

As cap specialist Brock Aller gets comfortable in his new surroundings under team president Leon Rose, one of his first assignments is undoubtedly mapping the optimal time to re-sign the big man.

New York currently owes Robinson $1.6 million on a non-guaranteed amount for next season, with another $1.8 million due in the form of a team option for 2021-22.

If the Knicks believe the 22-year-old is on the cusp of developing into a star player, perhaps they should extend him before he reaches that potential on a team-friendly deal, hoping he is enticed by dollar signs after earning a measly $3 million over his first two seasons in the league.

Waiting until next offseason could be several months too late. What if Mitch takes the proverbial next step in proving he is worthy of a big-time contract?

2021 presents the Knicks with another opportunity to allure superstars in the open market with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading a star-studded free agent class. Keeping Robinson’s cap hit as low as possible could prove beneficial to their future spending plans.

When should the Knicks extend Mitchell Robinson? Should they just play out his four year contract before deciding whether to re-sign him as an unrestricted free agent?

For the purposes of this article, we are going to focus on the salary cap mechanics in thinking about the different options available to the Knicks with their young center. We will save the specifics of defining his value for a separate post. Let’s get into it.