Mike Brown will have plenty of lineup combinations to experiment with during his first year as head coach of the Knicks, something that rarely happened under Tom Thibodeau. While he figures out who will ultimately become his starting unit, he must be sure not to rely too heavily on Mitchell Robinson, at least early in the regular season.
Speaking on The Ringer NBA Show, Howard Stern stressed how Mike Brown has things to figure out about the lineup, especially when it comes to how much they will rely on going double-big with Karl-Anthony Towns and Robinson, as we saw Thibodeau do in the Eastern Conference Finals.
While Brown undoubtedly should do plenty of experimenting with lineup combinations, the health concerns of Robinson need to be monitored closely. Ultimately, his minutes should be limited as much as possible in the first half of the season in an effort to maintain him for a playoff, and potentially championship, push.
Robinson's impact is undeniable
When he is on the floor, Robinson is arguably the Knicks' most impactful defender. Defense has always been his forte, but in recent years, there has been another leap from the Knicks' longest-tenured player, specifically when it comes to defensive discipline.
Robinson is one of the game's most elite rebounders, a lob threat, and a very good rim protector. The appeal of having him on the court alongside Towns, who struggles on that end of the floor, is clear. While it may be tempting to lean into that look from the start, Robinson's long, and it is very long, injury history suggests Brown should use it sparingly to start.
Injuries are piling up for Robinson
Big Mitch appeared in only 17 games for the Knicks in the regular season in 2024-25. His lack of availability has become a worrisome trend over the course of his Knicks' career, having appeared in only 31 games the year prior.
He has dealt with injuries spanning from his ankles to his head over his seven-year stint with the Knicks. For a player of his side, those injuries start to catch up to you, and the Knicks need to do everything they can to ensure that, come April, he is healthy and feeling fresh.
The best course of action to achieve that may mean limiting his minutes in the earlier months of the season, instead experimenting with lineup combinations that the Knicks haven't used. His health is far from a guarantee, but when he is on the floor, Robinson has proved how impactful and important he is.