The New York Knicks have been short at the center position all season. Mitchell Robinson‘s injury issues have forced Tom Thibodeau to rely on Jericho Sims and Precious Achiuwa as the primary backup bigs.
Thibodeau’s team is expected to contend for a championship this season. As such, Robinson’s injury issues are becoming a growing concern. The Feb. 6 trade deadline is fast approaching. The veteran rim runner could find his name being shopped around the league.
According to David Vertsberger of SNY, a potential trade to resolve the Knicks’ big man issues would be swapping Robinson for Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic. Vertsberger’s trade proposal looks like this:
Knicks receive: Nikola Vucevic
Bulls receive: Mitchell Robinson, Precious Achiuwa and a 2025 top-10 protected Wizards first round pick
“Vucevic is having a strong season, averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds while hitting over 41 percent of his threes,” Vertsberger reasoned. “Chicago furthers its rebuild with a couple of rotation pieces and a pick, while New York gets a two-time All-Star as a reserve for their already-potent offense. He doesn’t address their defensive needs, but few available targets do, and this is one of the highest-talent plays plausible.”
Vucevic has been playing at an All-Star level this season. He could potentially add to his two All-Star appearances if he continues his current production. The veteran big man is averaging 20.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists over his 45 games so far. He’s also shooting 55.5% from the field and 40.6% from 3-point range.
Vucevic Would Fit Knicks System
Since acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns during the summer, the Knicks have embraced a five-out offense. Adding Vucevic would give Thibodeau’s rotation additional continuity. New York would be swapping a rim-runner for another perimeter-based big man.
Furthermore, Vucevic is a reliable veteran in terms of availability. He’s played in 944 regular-season games throughout his career. However, he’s rarely featured in the postseason, suiting up just 16 times and never making it out of the first round.
Nevertheless, if the Knicks are looking to genuinely upgrade their big-man rotation, Vucevic would be a strong option. He brings sharpshooting, interior scoring and high-level rebounding to the equation. He would also slot into Thibodeau’s drop defensive scheme well.
Thibodeau Could Tell Knicks to Keep Robinson
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype recently noted that Thibodeau may opt to keep Robinson on the roster for the remainder of the season. The report cited the head coach’s desire to implement a double-big lineup. Towns played in a similar rotation while with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Robinson would likely be expected to fulfill the Rudy Gobert role of rim-protector and interior scorer when playing in that lineup.
“Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is owed $14.32 million this season and $12.95 next season. Precious Achiuwa is on an expiring $6 million deal,” Scotto wrote. “Combining both salaries would give the Knicks a chance to theoretically acquire another player in the $20 million range if there’s a fit. With that said, however, the Knicks believe Robinson can help anchor their interior defense when he returns and can play alongside Towns, who’d slide over to power forward.”
Whether adding Vucevic would supersede Thibodeau’s ideas of running double big remains to be seen. But for now, Robinson’s injury history must be a concern. A trade might be the best route if he can’t be trusted to stay healthy for the postseason. After all, the Knicks are in win-now mode.
