NBA Rumors: Knicks 'Open' to Mitchell Robinson Trade at 2025 NBA Deadline

The New York Knicks reportedly may be willing to part with injured center Mitchell Robinson before the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline.

According to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, league sources believe the Knicks are "open" to trading Robinson, who has yet to play this season after undergoing foot surgery back in May.

Robinson is under contract through next season at a salary of $14.3 million in 2024-25 and $12.9 million in 2025-26.

The 26-year-old Robinson has spent his entire seven-year career with the Knicks, compiling career averages of 8.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.

While highly effective as a rim protector when healthy, injuries have been a major issue for Robinson in recent years.

He has played fewer than 60 games in four of the past five seasons, including missing 51 games last season.

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said this week that Robinson still isn't practicing and only recently started running and jumping, so it is fair to wonder if there is any chance of him making an impact this season.

If not, including Robinson as part of a trade package for a player who can help the Knicks right now makes plenty of sense.

At 32-16, the Knicks are third in the Eastern Conference, and only one game behind the second-place Boston Celtics, who won the NBA championship last season.

While New York is undoubtedly a top team and a title contender, no other team in the NBA has relied on its starting five more heavily than the Knicks.

Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart have combined for 228 starts this season, and they collectively average 99.2 points per contest.

Only seven starts have come from other players on the roster this season, and five were by center Jericho Sims, who filled in while Towns was briefly out injured.

Per Edwards, league sources view Sims as the player on New York's roster who is most likely to get traded before the deadline, although his $2 million salary would make it difficult to bring back an impact player.

Edwards noted that the Knicks are in the market for wing depth, and there aren't many, if any, quality wings with a salary that low.

Regardless, the Knicks seem like strong candidates to be active leading up to the deadline due to their clear need for bench players who can spell the starters while also providing quality minutes.