Anyone wishing to see Mitchell Robinson of the New York Knicks play on opening night got some very bad news on Monday.
Ian Begley reported that the Knicks center won’t be ready for the start of the regular season as he undergoes a rehab process after an offseason ankle surgery.
It’ll be some time before Knicks fans see Robinson again as Begley reported that December or January is the “target” for his return.
That means the Knicks will be starting 2024-25 with a severely short-handed frontcourt.
SNY sources: Knicks center Mitchell Robinson will not be ready for the start of the regular season. Depending on rehab process, December/January is a target for Robinson’s return, per sources. Robinson is recovering from offseason ankle surgery. Knicks and Robinson do not want to…
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) September 23, 2024
The Knicks do not want to rush Robinson because they are afraid of aggravating his injury even more if he’s not 100% ready to play.
With that being said, Begley added that the team is confident in the “depth and versatility of the team to compete while Robinson is out.”
Sadly, Robinson is prone to injuries and that puts his Knicks in a bind, especially because they lost big man Isaiah Hartenstein to the Oklahoma City Thunder during free agency.
This news about Robinson means head coach Tom Thibodeau will have some decisions to make.
He can rely on a small ball lineup featuring Julius Randle as the center, although he is also currently undergoing rehab.
Additionally, Thibodeau could turn to Jericho Sims or Precious Achiuwa more often.
The Knicks made some impressive moves during the summer but certain fans were hoping they would sign a big man to fill the frontcourt void.
Now they are going to be without Robinson, leaving them with few options.
Begley claims the team is confident about their path ahead but some fans aren’t so optimistic.
