The New York Knicks made history in June when they won the NBA title for the first time in 53 years. But like the championship winners before them, New York couldn’t exactly run it back, plagued by the constraints of cap space.
As a result, the Knicks decided to let center Mitchell Robinson walk. The 7-footer entered free agency and quickly signed a three-year, $47.4 million contract with the Boston Celtics. That hurt, since the Celtics, of course, are a heated rival.
Perhaps nobody should be more upset about losing Robinson than Karl-Anthony Towns. It could mean more playing time for Towns, as in, too much playing time.
Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns Is the Real Casualty of Mitchell Robinson to Celtics
Why Karl-Anthony Towns Will Miss Mitchell Robinson
Losing Robinson is a blow to Towns. Why? It’s simple. Robinson was a strong backup when Towns needed a break. In 19.6 minutes across 60 games, Robinson averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. He perfectly complemented Towns’ elite production of 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.
One of the reasons Towns was able to perform so well this year was because of Robinson’s effort with the second unit. Without him, KAT would have been on the floor for longer than 31 minutes per game — his average throughout the regular season. In the playoffs, Towns had energy and wasn’t burned out. That’s at least partly thanks to Robinson. Towns was fresh, energetic and ready to take on stars like Joel Embiid and Victor Wembanyama.
With Robinson waiting in the wings, the Knicks didn’t have to lose sleep over giving Towns some much-needed time off the court. Now, New York won’t have that stable presence there, and it could mean too much of a workload for the six-time All-Star going forward.
So, Towns is stepping into a season where he may be playing more minutes than ever. While he’s proven that he can handle adversity, it could wear on his health.
Meanwhile, the Celtics are looking golden with Robinson in the fold. The Knicks letting the center walk just made one of the team’s chief rivals better. Are they better than the Knicks? Not necessarily, but it certainly doesn’t help.
The Celtics have helped their center rotation immensely by signing Robinson, and they hurt the Knicks at the same time. Plus, Robinson has the intel from being with the Knicks for eight seasons, and he can bring that inside knowledge to Boston.
None of this is good for the Knicks, but it’s the way this game falls. Players regularly jump from rival to rival. While it’s nothing new, it’s still unsettling.
Knicks Rebound With Robinson’s Replacement
The good news is that the Knicks have a plan. They’ve already signed veteran center Andre Drummond to replace Robinson, adding him on a one-year, $3.9 million contract. He will be the new primary backup to Towns. In 63 games with the Philadelphia 76ers last season, Drummond put up 6.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.8 blocks.
The 6’11” big man is certainly no newbie. The Pistons drafted him back in 2012 as the ninth overall pick. He entered the league at 18 and quickly became an elite talent. While there are promising Knicks in Summer League who could eventually help the frontcourt, let’s be real: they won’t be as good as Drummond.
So, the good news is Towns still has a backup. Plus, the Knicks are getting Drummond at a good value. Getting a player of his status on a veteran minimum deal makes him an extremely cost-effective piece of New York’s lineup.
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