Mitchell Robinson’s future with the New York Knicks continues to be evaluated against two outcomes: Either they deal him by the trade deadline, or keep him and figure out his future as an unrestricted free agent. And yet, there is a third option. Given how the Knicks have operated in the past, it might even be the most likely one.
They could extend him.
Midseason extensions are rare. They are not unheard of. As an extension-eligible player who’s in the final year of his deal, Robinson can sign a new agreement at any point up until June 30.
This provides the Knick with a ton of optionality. They can monitor the big man’s health and availability, as well as his value leading into the trade deadline. Then, when February 5 rolls around, they’ll know whether it makes sense to move him or hold onto him. And if they decide he’s too valuable to ship out, an extension could follow suit.
The Knicks don’t tend to let players reach unrestricted free agency
Robinson will be something of an anomaly if the Knicks neither trade nor extend him. They typically deliver final verdicts on critical players before they ever reach the open market.
Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges are the latest examples. New York did the same with Josh Hart, albeit right near his player-option deadline. Before that, it extended Deuce McBride in December 2023, during the middle of the season. And prior to that, the team extended RJ Barrett one year ahead of his restricted free agency.
This decision-making process cuts the other way as well. The Knicks have not held onto imminent free agents they don’t feel confident paying long term. They jettisoned Immanuel Quickley ahead of his restricted free agency to get OG Anunoby. And then they traded Julius Randle entering the final season of his contract to land Karl-Anthony Towns.
At nearly every turn, unrestricted free agency isn’t something New York has chanced when facing higher stakes. Anunoby is the lone exception, and that’s only because his previous salary was too small to facilitate an extension.
New York may not change its approach for Mitchell Robinson
Unique variables are at play in Robinson’s case. This analysis is coming to you fresh off his three-game absence as the team load-manages his surgically repaired ankle. A forever-checkered health bill could leave the Knicks hesitant to invest in him beyond this season.
Additional financial hurdles are now also in play. New York will basically guarantee entry into the second apron next season if it extends Robinson. Spending that deep into the tax and facing the subsequent roster-building restrictions shouldn’t be completely taboo, but the Leon Rose-led front office may prefer to hash out the logistics in real time rather than months beforehand.
Again, though, this would run largely counter to how the Knicks have handled similar situations in the past. So while Robinson’s future is being painted as a trade-or-free-agency proposition, it may actually be a choice between moving or extending him. And given how difficult, if not impossible, it’ll be to even partially replicate what he does, a trade feels incredibly unlikely.
Add it all up, and a Robinson extension shouldn’t just be on the table. Depending on what transpires between now and February 5, it may actually be the most likely course of action.