It appears the New York Knicks are preparing for a change to their starting lineup.
The Knicks are set to insert the returning Mitchell Robinson into the starting unit, per head coach Tom Thibodeau.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Thibs confirmed that the shot-blocking big man would start for his team when he returns from injury in the coming days.
"Mitchell was projected to be the starting center on the team," Thibodeau said. "So, we've gone fifty-something games without our starting center. Guys have done a really good job stepping in. Could we do better? I always believe we can do better. Mitch is an elite pick-and-roll defender, rim protector and offensive rebounder. Those are things that are critical."
To Thibodeau's point, the Knicks have sorely missed Robinson, their starting center since the 2021-22 season. The 7-footer was sidelined after undergoing ankle surgery last year, leading to Karl-Anthony Towns filling in as the starting center.
Robinson's return means Towns can slip back to his natural position of power forward, where he thrived in Minnesota next to Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid. The sharpshooting big has never seemed comfortable as the sole rim protector, and the numbers bear that out. The Knicks rank No. 21 in rim protection, conceding 50.0 points per game in the paint, a metric that highlights the team's biggest defensive weakness.
One wonders if Josh Hart or Mikal Bridges will be relegated to a bench role to make way for the returning Robinson. It's unlikely the Knicks would bench OG Anunoby, their best perimeter defender, or Towns and Jalen Brunson, their top two offensive threats.
Sacrificing offense for defense?
Robinson's return to the starting unit would bolster the Knicks' defense, but it could equally hurt their offense. The five-man unit of Towns, Bridges, Anunoby, Hart and Brunson has been terrific on offense, combining for 99.1 points per game, the most by any starting five since the 1986-87 Celtics.
Yet, the unit's defensive struggles became far too evident in the back-to-back losses to the Cavaliers and Celtics last weekend. Something has to change, and Robinson could be the answer.
