Mitchell Robinson is out indefinitely again. This time it’s more serious: a broken foot.
The starting Knicks center, who only recently recovered from a fractured hand, suffered the injury in the first quarter of Saturday’s 102-96 victory over the short-handed Bucks, when he landed awkwardly while trying to defend Brook Lopez.
Robinson stayed in the game for a couple more possessions, and even tried to block a Bucks shot on the perimeter. But he then hobbled off the court and the Knicks quickly announced the X-ray results. Robinson’s body language suggested he immediately knew there was an issue.
The 22-year-old will be re-evaluated when the team returns to New York, but a fractured foot typically involves a long recovery. At least in the short term, the Knicks can use the same two-man center rotation of Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson that was utilized when Robinson missed 15 games with his broken hand. But it’s a tenuous situation.
On Saturday, for instance, Julius Randle missed his first game of the season because of a thigh contusion, prompting Tom Thibodeau to start Gibson at power forward. The rotation barely worked because the Bucks (29-16) rested their best players and Milwaukee’s Bryn Forbes missed a potential tying 3-pointer in the final seconds. It pushed the Knicks (24-22) to two games over .500 for the first time since they were 5-3. Four Milwaukee starters — Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday and Donte DiVencenzo — all sat on the second night of a back-to-back. Derrick Rose returned from a 10-game COVID-19-related absence and scored 13 points in 28 minutes. Alec Burks and RJ Barrett each had 21 points.
So what are New York’s options to replace Robinson? Andre Drummond and LaMarcus Aldridge, the two best centers in the buyout market, are likely signing elsewhere, with the Lakers and Nets, respectively. Gorgui Dieng, who played for Thibodeau in Minnesota, is still available after being waived by the Grizzlies.
They still have about $14 million in cap space but the trade deadline passed Thursday.
For the Knicks, the good news is they managed a 9-6 record when Robinson sat with a broken hand. They’ve become an effective 3-point shooting team that doesn’t require the center to get involved much offensively. The Bucks tried to play zone defense Saturday and the Knicks responded with 16 3-pointers, including 10 combined from Burks and Immanuel Quickley.
So the injury shouldn’t break New York’s season or its playoff push. They’re sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference.
But it complicates Robinson’s future. He’s eligible for a contract extension but the Knicks also have a team friendly $1.8 million option for next season. If the Knicks exercise that option, Robinson will become an unrestricted free agent in 2022. If they don’t pick up the option, he’ll be a restricted free agent this summer, meaning the Knicks can match any offer.
