Bad News! Out for One-Third of the Season! Mitchell Robinson’s Injury, Is Towns Facing His Biggest Test?

In a recent update that spells trouble for the New York Knicks, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that center Mitchell Robinson will miss the entirety of 2024 due to a slow recovery from an ankle injury, with an expected return in January. This delay marks a significant setback for Robinson, who initially aimed to be back before the start of the new season after undergoing ankle surgery in May. However, his sluggish recovery process kept him out of training camp entirely, raising concerns about the long-term impact of his injury. Robinson’s ankle might very well be the Achilles’ heel of this Knicks team, with far-reaching consequences.

The injury first surfaced last December, shortly after a game against the Boston Celtics. At the time, the Knicks announced that Robinson had suffered an ankle injury that would require surgery. Within days, reports surfaced that Robinson was likely out for the rest of the season, prompting the Knicks to apply for a $7.8 million Disabled Player Exception from the league. But Robinson's season wasn’t over just yet. He made an early return before the end of the regular season and even participated in the playoffs, though it now appears this decision aggravated his condition.

Robinson’s injury worsened during the playoffs, and he was ultimately ruled out before Game 2 of the Knicks' second-round series against the Indiana Pacers. The official diagnosis was a stress fracture in his left ankle. Even then, Robinson and his team attempted to avoid surgery, but ultimately, he underwent the procedure on May 13. Fast forward five months, and Robinson still hasn’t returned to full training, and it seems he’ll need at least another three months of rehabilitation. His absence means the Knicks will be without their defensive anchor for at least one-third of the regular season.

This situation is grim for both Robinson and the Knicks. Stress fractures, particularly in the ankle, are notoriously difficult to recover from, and they’ve been career-altering injuries for other NBA players. Yao Ming, the towering former Houston Rockets center, famously retired early due to a similar injury. For a player like Robinson, who relies heavily on his athleticism and mobility, this type of injury could have devastating long-term effects.

Robinson’s absence also represents a significant loss for the Knicks. Since being drafted in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft, Robinson has been a fixture in the team’s frontcourt. Though limited by injuries, he managed to play 31 games last season, averaging 5.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game, with an efficient 57.5% shooting from the field. The previous year, he posted even better numbers, with 7.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting a career-high 67.1%.

Robinson’s impact extends beyond the box score. He is a quintessential "roll man" in the modern NBA, thriving as a lob-finishing, rim-protecting big man who excels in pick-and-roll situations. His ability to “eat” on offense, combined with his elite shot-blocking and rebounding, makes him one of the league’s top blue-collar centers. In fact, Robinson led the NBA in field goal percentage for two consecutive seasons, shooting 76.1% and 74.2% in back-to-back years.

His defensive prowess was evident in the 2023 playoffs, particularly against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Facing Cleveland’s dynamic frontcourt duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, Robinson dominated the boards, averaging 5.8 offensive rebounds per game and providing the Knicks with an edge that helped them upset the Cavs. However, with this injury now sidelining him for a prolonged period, the Knicks will need to find a way to fill the massive hole he leaves behind.

Knicks’ Center Rotation in Flux

There is a silver lining, though. The Knicks recently made a high-profile trade that sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo out and brought in Karl-Anthony Towns. While Towns was primarily brought in to provide additional scoring and shooting, he is more than capable of filling in at the center position in Robinson’s absence. However, relying solely on Towns might be risky, especially given Robinson’s injury history and the departure of backup center Isaiah Hartenstein.

Behind Towns, the Knicks’ depth at the center position is concerning. The team currently has two backup centers: rookie Oumar Ballo, selected 58th overall in the 2023 draft, and Jericho Sims, a 2021 second-round pick also chosen 58th. Both players are inexperienced and have yet to prove themselves as reliable rotation pieces in the NBA. With head coach Tom Thibodeau’s well-known preference for heavy minutes for his stars, there is a real possibility that Towns could be forced into an unsustainable workload.

Towns’ Durability in Question

Thibodeau and Towns have a history that dates back to their time together with the Minnesota Timberwolves. From 2016 to 2018, Thibodeau coached Towns for two full seasons, during which Towns remarkably played in all 82 games both years. He averaged 37.0 minutes per game in 2016-2017 and 35.6 minutes per game in 2017-2018, both of which ranked in the top 10 in the league. Towns was younger then, and had never experienced a serious injury.

Now, however, Towns is in a different place in his career. Over the past two seasons, he missed 20 games and 53 games, respectively, due to various injuries. If Thibodeau continues to rely heavily on Towns, as he did during their time in Minnesota, both the player and the Knicks could be walking a dangerous line. Towns is no longer the ironman he once was, and the Knicks’ championship aspirations could be at risk if he goes down with an injury.

Mitchell Robinson’s Future in Doubt

As for Mitchell Robinson, his future remains uncertain. He’s proven that he can be a valuable contributor when healthy, but his persistent injuries are becoming harder to ignore. Robinson has worked his way up from being a second-round pick to an integral part of the Knicks’ defense, but the recurring nature of his ankle issues puts his career trajectory in jeopardy. A stress fracture in the ankle is not an injury to be taken lightly, especially for a big man whose game is predicated on his physical tools.

If Robinson is unable to fully recover from this injury, his role with the Knicks—and possibly his career—could be in jeopardy. This latest setback is a crucial test, one that will determine whether he can regain his form or whether his career might take a downturn.

For the Knicks, the priority is clear: they need to find a reliable backup for Towns to prevent overworking him during Robinson’s absence. The team has a solid core of players and real potential to make a deep playoff run, but they’ll need to avoid the pitfalls of injury mismanagement that have plagued teams coached by Thibodeau in the past.