Knicks Center to Miss Start of Training Camp

Incumbent starting center Mitchell Robinson reportedly will not join the New York Knicks in Charleston for training camp.

Apr 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) warms up before game five of the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks have been waiting until a certain center takes the floor ... at least in one case, it looks lik they'll have to be a little more patient.

Per SNY's Ian Begley, Mitchell Robinson will not join the Knicks when they open training camp in Charleston, SC this week, instead opting to stay in New York to continue rehab on his foot. Robinson, the longest-tenured Knick, was limited to 37 games in the last regular season and playoffs due to recurring lower body issues.

Nov 28, 2023; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) dunks in front of Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (5) and guard Terry Rozier (3) and forward Brandon Miller (24) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Robinson skipping Charleston is hardly a surprise, as recent reports dictated that he would not be ready for action until winter. His spot on the New York roster has carried a rollercoaster aura this offseason: pressure mounted when the Knicks lost Isaiah Hartenstein and struggled to fill that void but Robinson may well be on the trade block again now that the team is set to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau briefly addressed Robinson's status during the Knicks' media day proceedings on Monday, declaring that there was "no real time frame" on the center's return and hinting at handling the matter cautiously.

"We want to make sure he's completely healthy before we move forward," Thibodeau said in video from SNY. "(We'll) get more information down the road but we're going to be patient and take our time with it ... When he's ready to go, he's ready to go. He's doing well, I can tell you that."

Robinson is set to enter his seventh NBA season, the first six spent in Manhattan. He has averaged 8.0 points and 7.9 rebounds to date but was pulling in a career-best 10.3 boards a game in the first 21 showings prior to his first medical interruption due to an ankle injury.

New York opens preseason play on Sunday in Charlotte (5 p.m. ET, MSG).

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