The New York Knicks took a huge risk when they let the 2022 NBA trade deadline pass without trading Mitchell Robinson. Robinson is currently playing the final year of the contract that he signed with the Knicks in 2018 and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Though the Knicks have already expressed interest in giving him an extension, the 23-year-old big man hasn't given them any assurance that he would ink a new deal to stay in New York beyond the 2021-22 NBA season.
Mitchell Robinson To Detroit Pistons
If they fail to reach a mutual agreement regarding a new contract, the Knicks should explore a sign-and-trade scenario involving Robinson instead of losing him in the 2022 NBA free agency without getting anything in return. One of the potential trade partners for the Knicks is the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons were among the teams that expressed strong interest in acquiring the young center before the 2022 NBA trade deadline.
Though they were unable to complete a deal, rumors are circulating that the Pistons are planning to resume their pursuit of Robinson in the 2022 NBA offseason.
Proposed Sign-And-Trade Deal
In a recent article, Brad Dressler of Fansided's Daily Knicks created a list of potential sign-and-trade deals involving Robinson. These include a hypothetical trade that would send the former No. 36 pick to Motor City this summer. In the proposed sign-and-trade scenario, the Pistons would be sending their own 2022 first-round pick to the Knicks in exchange for a trade package that includes Robinson and New York's 2022 first-round pick. If the trade becomes a reality, Dressler believes it would help the Pistons and the Knicks in filling up the needs to improve on their roster.
Moving Up In 2022 NBA Draft
The Knicks and the Pistons are both heading into the lottery but with Detroit having a worse record, they are more likely to get a top-5 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Dressler believes that swapping 2022 first-round picks with the Pistons would give the Knicks a better chance of landing Jaden Ivey, a point guard of the Purdue Boilermakers who has drawn comparison to Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant.
"I know a lot of fans want the Knicks to tank for Purdue’s Jaden Ivey and here’s their chance to get him even without necessarily tanking," Dressler wrote. "Ivey isn’t your prototypical pass-first point guard by any means but he’s been drawing comparisons to Memphis’ Ja Morant. Pairing a guy like that with RJ Barrett would be lethal."
Why The Pistons Would Make The Trade
It remains unknown if the Pistons would be interested in making the trade with the Knicks, especially if they could simply sign Robinson outright as an unrestricted free agent. Given their interest in the young center before the 2022 NBA trade deadline, the Pistons shouldn't have any problem offering Robinson a lucrative contract this summer. Robinson would be an intriguing addition to the Pistons, giving them a young and promising center who perfectly fits the timeline of Cade Cunningham. His potential arrival in Detroit is expected to improve the Pistons' defensive efficiency which currently ranks 24th in the league, allowing 111.0 points per 100 possessions.
]]>The Inquisitr
