As the New York Knicks search for ways to help Jalen Brunson continue his ascension, starting Mitchell Robinson over Josh Hart must be a top priority. It's a move that would undoubtedly come with growing pains, but the long-term benefits of the decision would be drastic.
With Robinson in the starting lineup, the Knicks would be able to solidify their defense, create second chances more regularly, and provide Brunson with an invaluable lob target.
Hart has become one of the most indispensable player on the Knicks. His endless energy and unrivaled intensity is matched only by his uncanny ability to always find himself in the right place at the right time on either end of the floor.
As such, a move to the second unit must be treated as more of a shift into a high-volume sixth man role and not a benching that will cost him significant playing time.
With Hart's importance established, the key reason for starting Robinson would be setting a tone on either end of the floor that the 2024-25 starting lineup often struggled to. They'll be able to protect the paint, crash the offensive glass, and create a layer of offensive versatility that they lacked a season ago.
In the process, a more cohesive rotation can take shape and the deepest Knicks team in recent memory can officially round into form.
Knicks must start Mitchell Robinson to optimize depth of the rotation
Robinson missed 65 games during the 2024-25 season, failing to make his debut until Feb. 28. His absence was felt in several areas, but the two most important were in regard to rim protection and offensive rebounding—facets of the game in which he's become a standard-setting player.
The Knicks finished the 2024-25 regular season ranked No. 19 in offensive rebounding and No. 20 in points allowed in the paint.
Robinson, meanwhile, boasts career averages of 5.5 offensive rebounds and 2.7 blocks per 36 minutes. That elite production only scratches the surface of the value he provides in two essential areas, as his energy and intensity on both ends of the floor are equal parts draining and intimidating.
Robinson has the uncanny ability to bring Madison Square Garden to life, deflate an opposing crowd or team, and mix in his signature brand of blocking three-point shots when all else fails.
That type of presence would make the game significantly easier for Brunson to manage in 2025-26. Momentum swings could be achieved without a single shot needing to fall, with Robinson proving uniquely capable of forcing fouls and lineup changes.
Brunson would also have an athletic big to throw lobs up to off of pick and roll actions, which would alleviate a significant measure of pressure from him offensively.
Starting Robinson would also enable Hart to make his mark in spurts rather than having to maintain his intensity across an entire game—in a literal sense based on recent tallies of his minutes played. That would set the tone for a second unit that has all of the potential to rank among the best in the NBA after New York added the likes of Malcolm Brogdon, Jordan Clarkson, and Guerschon Yabusele to supplement Hart and Miles McBride.
Robinson won't single-handedly elevate the Knicks to championship status, but he checks several crucial boxes in regard to making the game easier for the franchise player.