Knicks' biggest weakness could turn into red alert if speculation is true

The New York Knicks cashed in their assets for Mikal Bridges this summer and solidified their status as contenders. Expectations are sky-high for New York, but the team has one big weakness that could derail the season.

Isaiah Hartenstein left in free agency, a move the Knicks knew was coming. New York couldn't offer as much money as Oklahoma City. The front office spent a few weeks searching for a replacement before they re-signed Precious Achiuwa to a one-year, six-million deal.

The Knicks' three centers are Mitchell Robinson, Achiuwa, and Jericho Sims. Tom Thibodeau recently said that Julius Randle could spend time at the five. New York also signed Marcus Morris Sr. to a non-guaranteed deal. If he makes the final roster, he'd be out of the rotation but would be on the bench in case of an emergency.

Injuries derailed last season. It started with Robinson, who underwent ankle surgery in December. He returned at the end of the regular season but re-injured his ankle in the playoffs and had surgery again.

Robinson was the Knicks' starting center before he got hurt. He was on track to have the best season of his career. People forget how dominant he is defensively, as injury concerns have overshadowed what he can do on the court.

Will Mitchell Robinson be ready for the start of the Knicks' season?

The 26-year-old has a concerning injury history. Achiuwa will presumably be the starting center if Robinson gets hurt. The former Raptor was a severely underrated part of the OG Anunoby trade, but even then, he's not a conventional center.

There has been speculation about whether Robinson will be ready for the start of the season. Last month, SNY's Ian Begley reported that the center had to "clear several hurdles" before he would get clearance to participate in training camp. In a couple of weeks, the Knicks will be in Charleston for camp.

Fans will know more when New York is in South Carolina. Maybe the front office signed Morris Sr. because they know Robinson won't be cleared in time for camp, which would jeopardize his opening night availability. The last thing the Knicks should want to do is rush Robinson back before he's ready, as he wasn't 100 percent at the end of last season.

The good news is that New York has plenty of time to address the center position. At the deadline, the Knicks could flip Achiuwa and another player for a true backup center who would help the team make a deep playoff run.

Hopefully, if Robinson isn't ready to start the season, he won't be sidelined for long. On the flip side, his absence would allow the front office to evaluate their options outside of Robinson. Maybe Sims will impress if he starts the year in the rotation. That kind of information will be beneficial as the season wears on.