Could Knicks Trade Mitchell Robinson to Keep Isaiah Hartenstein?
New York Knicks centers Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein will be forever linked in NBA history.
Not only are the pair teammates, but Robinson's ankle injury that he suffered this season was the beginning of a domino effect that will eventually help Hartenstein land the richest contract of his career thus far.
Hartenstein will sign that contract sometime after June 30, when free agency begins, and there's reason to believe that team will be the Knicks. However, they may have to trade Robinson in order to keep him.
"The Knicks have his Early Bird Rights, but that only allows them to offer a four-year, $72.5 million deal. He could find more green elsewhere, as Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer reported some inside the Association think he could fetch between $80 million and $100 million," Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley writes. "That feels rich who isn't a shooter or high-end shot-blocker, though, and some of the win-now teams with money to spend—like the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic—seem set at center. Look for New York to keep Hartenstein, likely at the maximum it's allowed to offer, and then to shop around Robinson to avoid owing eight-figure salaries to two centers at once."
Keeping both Robinson and Hartenstein may not make too much sense if they both combine to make about $30 million annually. That's why a Robinson trade could be in the cards if Hartenstein were to stay.
Robinson, 26, averaged a career-low 5.6 points this past season while grabbing 8.5 boards per game. He also played in just 31 games, which was also tied for a career-low.
Rival teams in need of a center, like the Memphis Grizzlies or Los Angeles Lakers, could buy low on Robinson in hopes that he returns to form with a new change of scenery.
The Knicks also have two first-round picks and they could certainly utilize one of those to draft a center, and he could emerge as a replacement for whichever player isn't on the roster next season.
The Big Apple may no longer be big enough for the pair of big men to stay with the Knicks.
JEREMY BRENER
Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.