The New York Knicks decided not to add frontcourt depth before the trade deadline, and instead wait for Mitchell Robinson to return. He had his second ankle surgery of 2023-24 last May after initially injuring his ankle in December.
Fans knew there was a chance the center might not be ready to start 2024-25, but they didn't think it'd take this long. Robinson was first slated to return in December or January, which got pushed back to February.
New York has two more games before the All-Star break, and Robinson won't play before then. He was cleared for contact last week, but Tom Thibodeau said there were still some hurdles the center needed to surpass. On Monday, Thibodeau said Robinson (along with OG Anunoby) wasn't "quite ready" and "need more time."
Anunoby is listed as questionable for Tuesday's game against Indiana, while Robinson is yet again listed as out. It seems like Thibodeau's comment was directed more toward Robinson. Anunoby might not (and probably shouldn't) play until after the break, but he wouldn't be questionable if there weren't at least some chance he could play.
Knicks fans have been anxiously awaiting Mitchell Robinson's return
The Knicks' first game after the break will be on Thursday, Feb. 20, at MSG against the Bulls. Maybe that will be Robinson's regular-season debut, or maybe that'll come Friday (in Cleveland) or Sunday (in Boston). New York is 0-3 against the Cavaliers and Celtics this season.
It'll take Robinson some time to get up to speed when he returns, so don't expect him to jump right back in after not playing in a game for nine months. His conditioning, for one thing, will be off. He has been working hard to return, and he gave fans a sneak peek of what's to come in an Instagram post on Monday.
Mitchell Robinson working out with OG Anunoby in a new photo he shared on IG 💪 pic.twitter.com/Cdjar5tWIy
— The Strickland (@TheStrickland) February 11, 2025
Robinson could be the piece New York's average defense has been missing, but there are questions about how he'll look when he returns and, more importantly, whether he'll stay healthy.
The Karl-Anthony Towns trade was a win for the Knicks, but he isn't the defender Robinson is (or that Isaiah Hartenstein was). Nobody expected KAT to elevate New York's defense. However, Robinson can do just that.