New York Knicks: Mitchell Robinson looks like a steal
As he settles in during his rookie season, Mitchell Robinson is looking more and more like a real steal for the New York Knicks
The New York Knicks might not have much the cheer about through the first three quarters of the 2018-19 NBA regular season – unless you’re really pulling for a top 3 draft pick – but one bright spot has been Mitchell Robinson.
After sitting out his lone season in college (at Western Kentucky, in large part due to the fact that he was suspended by the team for violating rules, Robinson’s decision to not transfer to another school and simply enter the 2018 NBA Draft came with a few consequences.
For one, NBA teams would have to draft him solely based off potential and his high school statistics. That didn’t work out too well for Robinson as he fell to the second-round of the draft before ultimately being taken by the Knicks with the No. 36 overall pick.
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And two, doing this meant he was betting on himself. Betting that he could play his way into a legit second contract in the NBA. And while he has flashed his potential at various portions through the first 60 games of the season, but something seemed to click with the young big man in early-February.
Since February 5, Robison has posted seven double-digit scoring games (which he had just 5 of during the season up to that point) and four double-doubles (which he just had 1 of previously). Overall, he’s averaged 11 points, nine rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game on 74 percent shooting from the field during the nine games since Feb 5.
Robinson is by no means a big name, but he is very much a nice piece that the Knicks will be able to build on. Especially heading into a summer where they hope they can sign two max players. If New York manages to pull that off – and that’s not a forgone conclusion by any means – they’d need to surround those players with cheap contracts.
Robinson fits that exact mold as he’s due just over $1 million in each of the next three seasons. If the Knicks can push the right buttons over the next couple of months, and get a little luck at the NBA Draft Lottery, New York will quickly emerge as a contender in the Eastern Conference.
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And there’s no question that finding Mitchell Robinson late in the second-round of the 2018 NBA Draft will certainly be a part of their revitalization.