NBA Denies Knicks Disabled Player Exception Over Mitchell Robinson Injury 'Optimism'

The New York Knicks will not have an extra $7.8 million to work with, as the NBA has reportedly denied them a Disabled Player Exception.

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the New York Knicks have been denied the Disabled Player Exception they were seeking in the wake of Mitchell Robinson's ankle injury. According to Wojnarowski, there is "optimism that Robinson can return from ankle surgery to play late in (the) regular season."

New York was seeking to get about half ($7.8 million) of Robinson's 2023-24 cap hit ($15.68 million) off the books. Robinson, the Knicks' primary center and the longest-tenured New Yorker at six seasons, has not played since Dec. 8 and was replaced in the Knicks' starting five by Isaiah Hartenstein. 

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Robinson previously left the door open to a 2024 return last month on social media, replying "I hope not" when a fan asked if he would miss the rest of the year.

New York briefly brought in Taj Gibson for a second term to make up for the loss of Robinson but he has since been released. Other interior minutes have been occupied by 6-8, 243-lb. Precious Achiuwa, who was acquired in the Dec. 30 deal that also brought in OG Anunoby.

A second-round pick from 2018's draft, Robinson was in the midst of his finest professional season to date: New York was second in the Association in points allowed at the time of his injury and he was averaging a career-best in rebounding at 10.3 a game, more than half of that output coming on the offensive end. 

With the Knicks (22-15) firing on all cylinders since the calendar flipped to 2024, Robinson could stand as an emerging x-factor in the latter stages of the season, especially with Hartenstein likewise posting personal bests on the boards. New York currently sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference entering Wednesday night play and is looking to build upon its most successful season in a decade after winning a playoff round last year. 

Mitchell Robinson Taking Social Media Break, Focusing on Mental Health

Without Robinson, the Knicks will return to action on Thursday night when they face the Dallas Mavericks on the road (8:30 p.m. ET, MSG).