Mitchell Robinson is as good as gone from the New York Knicks this summer if James Dolan doesn’t suddenly change his tune. While time and energy continue to be spent lamenting his seemingly inevitable departure, the reality of the situation forces the front office to begin sussing out replacements in earnest.
Fortunately for the Knicks, the Charlotte Hornets may have provided them with a possible target after shipping LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves: Ryan Kalkbrenner.
The 24-year-old shouldn’t be up for grabs in a vacuum. He played a pivotal role as a starter and then behind Moussa Diabate as a rookie, and his contract is super cheap.
But the Hornets just acquired Naz Reid as part of their LaMelo return. And while he predominantly plays the 4, Charlotte is bound to experiment with him at center.Â
Between those minutes, Diabate’s role, and the selection of Hannes Steinbach with the No. 14 pick, Kalkbrenner is someone who could shake loose. New York should be ready and waiting if he does.
Ryan Kalkbrenner would give the Knicks another serviceable bigÂ
Kalkbrenner is hardly a spitting image of Robinson. Mitch is more switchable and physical on the defensive end, and remains more of a vertical threat on offense. Kalkbrenner also won’t begin to replace Robinson’s presence on the offensive glass—though, to be fair, nobody will.
Still, the soon-to-be sophomore has already shown he can handle a regular workload. He isn’t Robinson on the glass, but he ranked in the 71st percentile of offensive rebounding percentage. His scoring utility is more expansive, too. He has better hands, and averaged a combined 1.53 points per possession on rolls and cuts to the basket last season. His 72 percent clip from the foul line halts Hack-A strategies in their tracks as well.
The defensive mobility and even physicality leave much to be desired. But he contested more shots and saved more points at the rim per 100 possessions this past year than Robinson. Â
This doesn’t make Kalkbrenner better than New York’s longest-tenured player. It’s merely proof that he can play.
The Knicks can actually afford Kalkbrenner
Perhaps most importantly, Kalkbrenner’s contract isn’t even in the ballpark of what Robinson should net in free agency. He is owed a total of $7.7 million over the next three years. His $2.4 million salary in 2026-27 also allows the Knicks to build a package around Pacome Dadiet’s $3 million deal, thereby ensuring they’re not knifing into their entrenched rotation.Â
Of course, there is no way Charlotte does that deal straight up for Dadiet’s (could-be) expiring contract. This is where the Knicks’ complex draft strategy comes in handy. They acquired a small ransom’s worth of second-round draft picks by trading out of No. 24 and No. 31. The Leon Rose-led front office can attach three to Dadiet without batting an eye.Â
Dialing up the Dadiet-plus-seconds framework should be enough to get the Hornets thinking. Kalkbrenner was an excellent find by them, but judging from the LaMelo trade, they clearly aren’t too concerned with racking up present-day victories. More critically, Kalkbrenner is more expendable than before with Diabate, Reid, and Steinbach all in tow.Â
If and when the Knicks officially lose Robinson, they should try using Charlotte’s shifting circumstances to their advantage.
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