New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is currently playing the final year of the four-year contract he signed with the team in 2018. When the 2021-22 NBA season is officially over, Robinson is set to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his NBA career. The Knicks may not have closed their doors on the possibility of bringing Robinson back, but as of now, the 23-year-old big man hasn't committed to signing a new deal to stay in New York, giving other teams that chance to pursue him in the 2022 NBA free agency.
Mitchell Robinson To Dallas Mavericks
The 2021-22 NBA season is yet to come to an end, but Robinson has already been linked to some NBA teams that are looking to boost their frontcourt next summer. According to Stefan Bondy of New York Daily News, among the potential suitors of Robinson in the 2022 NBA free agency is the Dallas Mavericks. In a recent article, Brad Dressler of Fansided's Daily Knicks came up with three potential sign-and-trade scenarios involving Robinson. These include a hypothetical trade that would send Robinson to the Mavericks in exchange for Jalen Brunson.
Mavs Get A Defensive-Minded Big
Trading Brunson would be a tough decision for the Mavericks, especially now that he's having an impressive season. However, it isn't expected to hurt their backcourt deeply since they acquired Spencer Dinwiddie from the Washington Wizards before the 2022 NBA trade deadline. By sacrificing Brunson, the Mavericks would address their need for improvement in terms of defensive rebounding and protecting the rim.
Robinson may not be on the same level as Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Anthony Davis. Still, if he could stay away from any major injury and receive more playing time, he has the potential to become one of the most dominant big men in the league.
Why The Knicks Would Make The Trade
Agreeing to a sign-and-trade deal that would send Robinson to Dallas in exchange for Brunson should be a no-brainer for the Knicks, especially if the young center is no longer interested in being part of their long-term plan. Instead of losing him as an unrestricted free agent without getting anything in return, the Knicks would be acquiring another young and promising talent who fits the timeline of franchise cornerstones RJ Barrett and Julius Randle. It's worth noting that before the 2022 NBA trade deadline, the Knicks were one of the teams monitoring Brunson's availability on the trade market.
Jalen Brunson Addresses Knicks' Backcourt Woe
Brunson would be a great addition to the Knicks. Instead of overpaying an injury-riddled big man, swapping Robinson for Brunson would enable the Knicks to address their major backcourt woe. Brunson would replace Kemba Walker as the team's new starting point guard in the 2021-22 NBA season.
Aside from being a good playmaker, Brunson could also help the Knicks score, defend the perimeter, and space the floor for Barrett and Randle. This season, he's averaging 16.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from beyond the arc.
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