Mike Brown addresses his decision to move Mitchell Robinson to the Knicks bench
In case you haven’t noticed, Mike Brown has made a pivotal change to the New York Knicks’ nightly rotation, opting to bring Mitchell Robinson off the bench in the team’s last two regular-season games.
Robinson made his first appearance as a reserve on Wednesday night against the Charlotte Hornets, with Josh Hart making his season debut in the starting lineup. What many fans assumed would be a one-night experiment quickly became a trend, as Brown once again brought Robinson off the bench, choosing to start Hart alongside the usual starters.
Positivity is Still a Main Topic
When asked postgame about the reasoning behind the move, Brown had this to say:
“I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far, which is a great punch off the bench. His ability on the offensive glass—against starters or backups—has been huge for us. He has to keep bringing that to the table. He gives us a different look when we go to our starting lineup versus our bench.”
Robinson’s sample size off the bench has been small but efficient, averaging 3.0 points, 2.5 steals, and 6.0 rebounds in 18.1 minutes. It’s a noticeable shift from his numbers as a starter, where he averaged 4.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in nine games.
Robinson has long been a mixed bag. When he’s on, he can look like a top-10 center, dominating the offensive glass and creating second-chance opportunities. But when he’s off, it’s a different story—late closeouts, early foul trouble, and stretches of low impact that limit his playing time.
Role Changes
It’s clear the Knicks still value Robinson, but they appear to be testing him in different roles as the season unfolds. Early on, fans praised the idea of a double big-man lineup alongside Karl-Anthony Towns, which even produced the team’s highest defensive rating when both shared the floor.
Fast-forward 15-plus games, and that narrative has shifted. Robinson isn’t as effective with the ball as he once was, struggling to find a reliable post game and offering little scoring upside when New York’s offense stalls.
The issue has never been his role—it’s how effective he can be within it. With ongoing minute restrictions, it remains unclear how dominant the seven-footer can truly be moving forward. As it stands, the Knicks plan on using him in scenarios where they either need size or rebounding.
If he can continue his streak of being effective in the eyes of Brown, perhaps a more permanent role could be in store for him.