New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson has not suited up since suffering an ankle injury in a Dec. 8 game against the Boston Celtics.
Robinson had to undergo surgery and was expected to miss roughly two months of action. There is now an unfortunate update on the status of the defensive-minded big.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, New York has filed for a $7.8 million Disabled Player Exception. This means that the Knicks believe Robinson is lost for the remainder of the season.
Even with the Knicks at a solid 16-11 on the season, this is a massive blow for Tom Thibodeau’s squad. Robinson, 25, has improved leaps and bounds since New York made him a second-round pick back in 2018. He’s now seen as an anchor on the defensive end of the court.
Related: Why Draymond Green could be a replacement for Mitchell Robinson
Mitchell Robinson stats (2023-24): 6.2 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 59% shooting
With Robinson out of action over the past two weeks, Isaiah Hartenstein has seen more action inside for the Knicks.
Veteran free agent signing Donte DiVincenzo has also taken on a starting role with the Knicks going small to open games. He’s averaging 12.0 points on 54% shooting since Robinson went down, including a 23-point outing in a win over the Brooklyn Nets Wednesday night.
For the New York Knicks, the Robinson injury will likely force them to look at the veteran free agent market or trade market for a replacement. They did just recently bring back veteran Taj Gibson to provide some help in the frontcourt.