The New York Knicks season looked like it was in trouble when starting center Mitchell Robinson had to undergo ankle surgery in early December. The outlook for him was so bleach that the Knicks applied for an injured player exception from the NBA.
Teams apply for that when they don’t believe a player will be able to return to the court before June 15th. New York originally placed an 8-10 week timetable on Robinson to return to the court, but evidently, things were worse than they realized.
However, something took a turn for the better in recent days. The NBA denied the Knicks exception request, which hinted at Robinson being able to return at some point during the season. According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, that is now the expectation.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Isaiah Hartenstein, Mitchell Robinson, New York Knicks Updates
There is a chance that Robinson, who last played on December 8th, can return in time for the playoffs. That would provide the Knicks with a massive boost in their frontcourt, as they are still lacking some size behind Isaiah Hartenstein.
NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN echoed the same sentiment as Begley in regard to Robinson. The independent doctors who reviewed Robinson were unable to determine he would be sidelined through June, which has provided optimism he will be on the court before the end of the regular season.
“Despite contrary reports, the Knicks have known of the possibility of a Robinson return and applied for the exception out of due diligence. The possibility of Robinson’s return is immense for the Knicks, who have been buoyed with the outstanding recent play of backup center Isaiah Hartenstein. The Knicks have been on a torrid run since the trade for forward OG Anunoby, winning five streak games and moving into fourth place in the Eastern Conference at 22-15.” wrote Wojnarowski.
Getting Robinson back in the fold would be a huge boost for the Knicks. Hartenstein has filled the void in the starting lineup more than anyone could have expected, helping elevate the team to another level on offense while providing a stellar impact defensively.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Isaiah Hartenstein, Mitchell Robinson, New York Knicks Updates
However, Tom Thibodeau has yet to find someone to adequately replace his minutes off the bench. Precious Achiuwa, acquired from the Toronto Raptors in the blockbuster trade ahead of the new year, has been playing spot minutes behind Hartenstein but has yet to find his groove with his new team.
With veteran Taj Gibson getting released this week, the only other bit man currently on the Knicks’ roster is Jericho Sims. He has some experience filling in for Robinson previously and could get another shot if Achiuwa doesn’t seize his opportunity.
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