[Woj] ESPN Sources: NBA is denying the Knicks a $7.8 million Disabled Player Exception for loss of Mitchell Robinson, because there’s optimism that Robinson can return from ankle surgery to play late in regular season. Knicks could be getting back one of league’s best defensive centers.
by ploptankploop
42 Comments
Optimism from the Knicks? From Mitch’s camp? Or from the league?
Edit: got it, its the league. Thanks for the quick responses.
Man having Mitch in the playoffs would be big.
OG and Mitch the scariest defensive duo in the league
mitch off the bench if healthy?
![gif](giphy|G5JoAjEBtfoTm|downsized)
Leon tried to pull a fast one
I hope Thibs runs a Deuce/Grimes/Hart/OG/Mitch lineup for at least one minute this year just to see the havoc they’d cause on defense
Did Aaron Rodgers slip Mitch some of that good stuff?
If he comes back I’ll start thinking why not us this year. Please meetch come back.
Fuck. But if he came back I would be happy as hell
Huge news.
Hyped to hopefully see mitch back on the court this year
Oh man, i’m excited to see what this defense can look like when Mitch comes back
2nd round begins in the 2nd week of May I think.
If we get a top 4 seed, we definitely have a good chance of advancing through the 1st round even without Mitch (although its VERY far from a guarantee when the East is *this* stacked).
And if he is able to even just come off the bench come May, that elevates our playoff ceiling tremendously.
Just imagine being able to field some combination of OG, Mitch, Hartenstein, Hart, Grimes and McBride at all times. Legitimate nightmare defensive matchups all over the field.
This is awesome news.
Never thought knicks getting denied anything would make me so happy
Hartenstein is better offensively but Mitch is a major defensive anchor. Thibs usually splits their minutes anyway, we have one of the best center duos in the league. Let’s fucking go.
I’ll believe it when I see it tbh. Screws in the ankles is no fucking joke. But maybe he can have his Willis Reed moment for us this year. I still think iHart should have the starting spot locked up at this point.
Me reading the first half of the tweet: 🤬😡
Me reading the rest of the tweet: 😃🙏
Yes please
Realistically he should be back in march. Lets cook
League a bunch of hoes if they wrong. If they right, then Leon a hoe for breaking our hearts for a bit
OH HELLS YEAH
he would clearly come off the bench, and be able to split time with precious, who should be significantly improved by then (system-wise, not skill). for those 10-15 minutes until he gets his stamina back, on top of playing against other teams bench units, he will wreak absolute havoc. literally anything he contributes will be great. we are good enough without him, so it is as low pressure a situation as possible.
Is his return before the end of the season actually realistic though?
15 mpg for Mitch in the playoffs is perfect
I’d love to see this team with both Robinson and IHart. You’re going to want Robinson’s rim protection in the playoffs against Embiid and Giannis
![gif](giphy|sR91D133W02D6)
“What’s the worst they could say, no?” Leon
Going back to 48 minutes of Mitch/Hartenstein along with OG is gonna be fucking nuts. Gonna be nightmare for anyone in the league come playoff time.
Bench. Bench. Bench. Mitch is barely better defensively, and a new negative offensively.
Oh league FUCKED
Swear this is said about every player who is out for the year and they never come back the same season
Would rather have him back than the money.
48 minutes of Mitch and IHart again would be incredible to end the season
best news all day!
Robinson will be back before the end of April.
McBride, Grimes, Hart, Anunoby, and Robinson is probably the best second unit with one starter in the league.
If the Knicks can get McBride and Grimes to develop in these 3+ months before the playoffs along with Anunoby more as a focal point in the second unit offense with Robinson coming back, the Knicks will be running opposing second units off the floor.
Mitch just about single-handedly shut down cleveland’s “big two” last year. Let’s not lose sight of the fact that the man can dominate certain matchups. Him and IHart together are gonna be awsome!
Call me crazy but I think mitch is going to do a lot better offensively with this spread out offense.
Something something crowded paint and bad dump offs to mitch half the time
This gotta be a dream Knicks is built different All Glory to God frfr🙏🏾🙏🏾
They saw Leon finessing the league for too long, and put a stop to it. Smh
He was reenergized when he returned last year. Really got his stamina up. Will have to do it on the bike this time around.
I just want to see him play with OG man I feel like they’ll be so good together