The New York Knicks' unfortunate injury luck from last season carried over to 2024-25. Fans learned Mitchell Robinson wouldn't return until December or January after undergoing his second ankle surgery of the season last May. Precious Achiuwa and Landry Shamet were injured in the preseason, and neither has returned.
The front office shocked everyone days before training camp by trading for Karl-Anthony Towns. New York was on the prowl for another center over the offseason after losing Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency. The Knicks re-signed Achiuwa to a one-year, six-million deal but needed another reinforcement.
Towns is averaging 26.1 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, but he isn't the rim-protecting center Tom Thibodeau typically starts. He struggled significantly in New York's loss on Saturday to a Utah team that employs Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler. Jericho Sims played well with a team-high plus/minus of +19.
The loss made fans even more eager for Robinson's return. The 26-year-old center is with the team on their road trip and watched the loss from the sideline. His presence has caused fans to wonder if he'll return sooner than expected. ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the earliest Robinson will return is January, but the center recently hinted he could return sooner than that.
Mitchell Robinson arrives in Utah to watch Knicks-Jazz pic.twitter.com/9ERnHi15oG
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) November 23, 2024
Mitchell Robinson hopes to return to Knicks lineup by Christmas
Robinson is active on social media and recently shared his Christmas list on his Instagram story. It caught the eyes of fans for one significant reason. Robinson wrote, "Start playing by Christmas (I hope)."
Nothing official has been reported about Robinson's status, but it's noteworthy that he believes he could return in time for the Dec. 25 holiday. The sooner he can return, the better. However, the last thing fans want is for Robinson to return before fully recovering. It's hard to return from two ankle surgeries.
Robinson will most likely be on a minutes restriction when he's cleared to play. He won't jump back into the swing of things by averaging 25 minutes per night. It's safe to say he'll stay in the 15-minute range as he ramps up his conditioning. Robinson might not even start, at least not in his first few games back.
Towns played at the four alongside Rudy Gobert at the five in Minnesota, so he's used to playing with a defensive-minded big. Thibodeau should at least try it with KAT and Robinson when the latter is able. New York's defense has understandably taken a hit with Towns at the five. Moving him back to the four could be a success for the Knicks.
Robinson won't help space the floor like Towns, but he protects the paint and is one of the best offensive rebounders in the league. He's the team's defensive anchor. Maybe Knicks fans will see him back on the floor sooner than everyone thought.