Mitchell Robinson doesn’t care if he begins or comes off the bench — he simply needs to assist the Knicks win.
“Nah. It don’t matter to me at all,” Robinson stated after Day 2 of coaching camp on the Knicks’ Tarrytown facility on Thursday. “I started before. I came off the bench before. I did great in both. So it’s whatever.”
Robinson, as soon as the Knicks’ full-time beginning heart, noticed his function diminished final season following the arrival of Karl-Anthony Cities and a delayed restoration from offseason ankle surgical procedure. Now, underneath new head coach Mike Brown, the massive man enters camp with no guarantees — and no desire.
Brown has emphasised his need to play quick, a system that may favor Josh Hart, who began all the common season on the wing as New York notched 51 wins. Former head coach Tom Thibodeau, nonetheless, turned to Robinson to open video games after the Knicks dropped the primary two within the Japanese Convention Finals in opposition to Indiana. Robinson’s re-entry into the beginning lineup — paired with rotation boosts from Landry Shamet and Delon Wright — sparked a turnaround, however the Pacers closed the sequence in six video games.
Brown acknowledged Robinson’s influence after apply on Thursday however stated beginning roles stay up within the air.
“He is a monster on the glass,” Brown stated. “In Sacramento, we tried to emphasize that if our big had to help and leave Mitch, our weak side had to crack back — even if it meant picking up a foul — because he can win a game on the offensive glass alone. That to me hasn’t changed.”
Brown added that he hopes to outline roles forward of the season opener — however isn’t forcing it.
“Ideally, it would be great to have everybody’s role defined before the first game,” he stated. “Now, they will change all through the course of the season, however hopefully going into Recreation 1, we as coaches — and Billy Lange — get to a degree the place we have now all people’s function outlined. And never solely that, however they embrace it so that everyone is aware of particularly what they should do.
“We’ve got a lot of guys and we’re a new staff. So if we get a little behind, maybe it doesn’t happen until after the first or second game. I don’t know. But ideally, I’d like to have all that done before Game 1.”
FARM-FED AND FOCUSED
Robinson stated he’s getting into the season stronger, leaner and extra ready — thanks partly to a stunning way of life change: He now owns a farm in Nashville and eats strictly natural, home-grown meals.
“I started my own farm thing in Nashville,” he stated. “So all my stuff is legit fresh organic, stuff like that.”
He’s not the one doing the cooking — or the harvesting — however the outcomes are displaying. Robinson regarded trim and springy on Day 2 of coaching camp.
“[My people] gotta go out there, grab it, and bring it,” he stated.
CONTRACT YEAR CLARITY
Robinson is getting into the ultimate season of the four-year, $60 million contract he signed in 2022. The 2 sides have but to succeed in an settlement on an extension, and gamers on expiring offers typically floor in commerce talks close to the February deadline.
Nonetheless, Robinson insists he’s not letting the enterprise aspect have an effect on his method.
“I’m gonna come out here and play hard still regardless, whether it’s my last [year] or my first [year], just come out here and play hard,” he stated. “But at the same time I’m gonna let my agent handle that part of it. I’m just gonna play basketball.”
When requested whether or not he expects to hit free company subsequent summer time, Robinson didn’t chew: “My agent will handle that.”
BACK-TO-BACKS TBD
After present process two procedures to restore stress fractures in his left ankle, Robinson didn’t play in each ends of back-to-backs final season. He’s absolutely wholesome to start out this yr’s camp however stated it’s nonetheless unclear whether or not he’ll be cleared for these conditions transferring ahead.
“Imma let [the medical staff] handle that. They’re gonna tell me. I just go with the flow,” he stated. “The season ain’t really start yet. We’re just in training camp.”
