The New York Knicks have been without Mitchell Robinson for too long. He injured his ankle against the Celtics on Dec. 8, and it was initially reported that he would be out with season-ending surgery. Talk about a crushing blow.
Robinson was in the midst of a career year before he was sidelined. He was averaging a career-best 10.3 rebounds, 6.2 points, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game. Before his season was cut short, he was mentioned as a possible Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
On Jan. 10, Knicks fans got an unexpected positive update about Robinson when it was reported that the NBA denied New York's $7.8 million disabled player exception. The league did so because of the optimism that Robinson will be able to return before the season ends.
When is Mitchell Robinson coming back? Latest injury timeline for Knicks center
On Feb. 20, ESPN's Tim Bontemps said on "The Lowe Post" podcast that Robinson could be back in March.
Robinson's trainer posted a video on his Instagram story of the center working out with a caption that caught the eye of Knicks fans.
Mitchell Robinson trainer Marcell Scott on IG: “Getting playoff ready! 💪🏽🙏🏽“ pic.twitter.com/8jOV9DYCDv
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) February 16, 2024
A few days later, Tom Thibodeau confirmed Robinson was no longer in a walking boot but hadn't been cleared to run yet. He has started shooting again.
"Good, out of the boot. So that’s the next step,” Thibodeau said. “Doing a little bit more, but he still can’t run and jump yet. But that’s coming."Tom Thibodeau, via New York Post
With it being an ankle injury, Robinson's conditioning will be an issue. He hasn't played in an NBA game in nearly three months. If he can return sometime in the next few weeks, that'll give him some extra time to get in shape before the playoffs start.
Yes, having a healthy Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein in the postseason would be huge for New York. More importantly, though, it'll be great to see Robinson back out there, as he's dealt with several injury blows throughout his career. He deserves to help contribute to what could be a deep playoff run.
Things are looking up for Mitch! When updates regarding his status are reported, they'll be added here, including when he's cleared to run.