Grizzlies Named Trade Candidate for Knicks Center

The New York Knicks could swing a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies for Mitchell Robinson.

Jeremy Brener | May 30, 2024

Mar 11, 2022; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) looks for an open lane as Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) defends during the second half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is expected to be in trade rumors all offseason long.

Robinson, 26, spent most of the season on the sidelines, and Isaiah Hartenstein improved exponentially while taking over his starting spot.

That's why ESPN is suggesting that the Memphis Grizzlies could call the Knicks and ask him for his availability.

"He's one of the league's premier offensive rebounding bigs, having finished second in the league in offensive rebound rate in 2021-22 and first in 2022-23," ESPN writes. "(He would have finished second in percentage this season, but with just 31 games played, he didn't qualify for the league's statistical leaderboard.) But New York will presumably want to have more money available for Hartenstein, who's also a great rebounder but also has an innate passing ability for a big man."

The Knicks should look at potential Robinson deals this offseason to relieve them of cap space. Robinson has two years left on his deal, where he'll make just over $27 million. It's a team-friendly deal, but the Knicks could benefit from moving off of him to help them pay Hartenstein and OG Anunoby, who are both unrestricted free agents this summer.

There are benefits to keeping Robinson, but if Hartenstein is there, most of those pros are canceled out. The Knicks probably won't "shop" Robinson around, but they might not hang up if the Grizzlies, or any other team, come calling.

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Published May 30, 2024

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.