In what is a precursor to how they will handle the regular season, the New York Knicks are already load-managing Mitchell Robinson. The plan is equal parts necessary, risky, and as it just so happens, great news for Ariel Hukporti.
New York is tracking toward starting Mitch alongside Karl-Anthony Towns. Asked about whether he’ll keep that dual-big look whenever Robinson misses time, head coach Mike Brown suggested that he would use Hukporti in his Mitch’s place, per Steve Popper of Newsday:
One interesting reveal from Mike Brown yesterday -- with Mitchell Robinson already on "workload management" and uncertainty about how many games he can play, asked him if he'd shift to a smaller lineup (Hart or McBride) or duplicate Mitch with Hukporti/Yabusele... pic.twitter.com/meHP4c7i0n
— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) October 17, 2025
Talk about your monumental votes of confidence. Most did not have Hukporti cracking the nine- or 10-man rotation, let alone getting spot starts.
If anything, Robinson’s absences could be viewed as a chance to play Deuce McBride with the starters, or to see whether the Josh Hart iteration can find the swagger it couldn’t last season. Heck, if the Knicks were going to play Hukporti, you might have assumed they’d start Guerschon Yabusele, and then bring the former off the bench.
All of this remains in play. Brown hinted at having to build lineups off matchups. But if he’s thinking this way now, Hukporti profiles as the default choice to start without Robinson—a designation that may actually mean he’s part of the regular rotation even when Mitch is healthy.
The Knicks could make Hukporti a regular part of the rotation
Ideally, New York would not be throwing Hukporti into a starter’s role after barely having played. Entering games cold, without the chance to establish a rhythm, is difficult even for those who aren’t high volume offensive players.
This bodes well for Hukporti getting run within the full-strength rotation, and not just during blowouts. At first glance, it doesn’t seem like there’s room. But Brown has emphasized leaning on the bench more than Tom Thibodeau. The Knicks could squeeze out regular reps for Hukporti if they’re serious about playing 10 guys.
Think about it: New York has already committed to playing Towns and Robinson together. It may not flinch at getting Hukporti time alongside Yabusele with the second unit, or even next to KAT when Mitch is catching a breather.
Whether the Knicks can do this and actualize Brown’s vision of playing faster and shooting more threes is a separate matter. Yet, they’re going to run into this dilemma just by starting KAT and Robinson. Given the clear commitment to exploring dual-big looks, sprinkling in regular Hukporti stints, even when Robinson’s available, is hardly off the table.
Hukporti showed flashes last season
Though he did not play a ton during his rookie season, Hukporti provided glimpses into real big-man utility.
Many see him modeling his game after Robinson. That is to some extent true. He moves his feet and angles his body similarly on the defensive end. On offense, though, he has slightly some touch from floater range, and projects to be a much better passer. The Knicks won’t want him making too many decisions, but Brown values versatility, and Hukporti can find teammates when catching the ball in space.
The Knicks even carved out 17 whole minutes of playing time for him and Towns together last year. The Huk-KAT frontcourt showed some promise at both ends with its massive amounts of size.
We needn’t pretend the sophomore big is about to log 20-plus minutes per game. Hukporti is an ancillary piece. Still, with Robinson on a load-management plan and headed for free agency next summer, it behooves the Knicks to get as much information on the 23-year-old as possible.