With Nic Claxton gone, the Brooklyn Nets suddenly have a major hole at center—and Mitchell Robinson could be the answer. The Knicks' big man may be priced out of New York due to the second apron, putting Brooklyn in a position to make a serious push.
The Brooklyn Nets have a glaring hole at center after trading Nic Claxton, and according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, they have "legitimate" interest in free agent Mitchell Robinson.
If that reported interest is real, Robinson may be one of the best options available for Brooklyn this summer.
While Robinson has reportedly been "very open" to re-signing with the Knicks, doing so may not be that simple. Fresh off winning the franchise's first NBA championship in 53 years, Knicks owner James Dolan has made it clear he wants to avoid crossing the league's second tax apron.
That could end up pricing Robinson out of New York entirely.
Robinson is expected to have plenty of suitors in free agency and will likely command more money than the Knicks can comfortably offer. The Nets, meanwhile, are one of the few teams with significant cap space this offseason and have the flexibility to give Robinson the type of contract he's looking for.
The 28-year-old has spent his entire career with the Knicks after they selected him with the 36th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. At 7 feet tall and 240 pounds, Robinson immediately showed flashes of being an elite defensive center, earning NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors in 2018-19.
Eight years later, he's now the longest-tenured Knick and is coming off helping the franchise capture its first championship since 1973. He also finished eighth in Sixth Man of the Year voting this season, showing just how valuable he remains despite coming off the bench.
Robinson isn't going to score 20 points a night, but he doesn't have to. He does the dirty work that every contender needs, consistently ranking among the league's best offensive rebounders while protecting the rim at a high level. Those are two areas the Nets will need to replace after trading Claxton.
He's also incredibly efficient around the basket. Robinson owns a career 70.2% field-goal percentage because nearly every shot he takes comes in the paint. Whether it's catching lobs, finishing dump-off passes, or throwing down putback dunks, he understands his role and rarely forces the offense. He doesn't need plays called for him, which would allow Brooklyn's young guards and wings to continue developing with the ball in their hands.
Adding Robinson also wouldn't stop Day'Ron Sharpe from seeing more minutes. Robinson has never averaged more than 27.5 minutes per game in a season, so the two could split time while giving the Nets one of the better defensive center rotations in the Eastern Conference.
Another reason Robinson makes sense in Brooklyn is Julius Randle.
The Nets recently acquired Randle, and he and Robinson spent multiple seasons together with the Knicks. They already know how to play alongside each other, and that existing chemistry could make Robinson's transition to Brooklyn much easier.
Of course, there are risks.
The biggest concern is Robinson's health. He appeared in just 31 games during the 2020-21 season, 31 games again in 2023-24, and only 17 games in 2024-25 before bouncing back to play 60 regular-season games during New York's championship run. When he’s healthy, he changes games defensively, especially at the rim. The question is whether he can consistently stay on the floor.
His free-throw shooting is another weakness.
Robinson shot a career-high 68.4% from the line during the 2024-25 season, but that number plummeted to a career-low 40.8% this past year. If he signs with Brooklyn, that's an area he'll have to clean up.
The good news is the Nets have helped a similar player improve before. Claxton entered the league as one of the NBA's worst free-throw shooters, hitting just 48.4% during the 2020-21 season. By his final year in Brooklyn, that number had climbed to a career-best 61.6%. Robinson has already shown he can shoot free throws at a respectable level, so there's reason to believe Brooklyn's player development staff could help him get back there.
The Lakers and several other teams are expected to pursue Robinson, so Brooklyn won't have an easy path to signing him.
Still, the Nets have a compelling case. They have the cap space to make a competitive offer, a clear need at center, and a familiar teammate, Randle, already on the roster. If Robinson wants to remain in New York after winning a championship, moving from Manhattan to Brooklyn would be about as easy a transition as any free agent could ask for. He won’t come without risk, but with their flexibility and roster need, Mitchell Robinson should be one of the first free agents the Nets pursue if they’re serious about taking a step forward next season.
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