Mitchell Robinson Injury Update: NBA insider reveals potential return date for Knicks center alongside Karl-Anthony Towns

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson could take some time to recover from his injury until he can return to the lineup.

Robinson is rehabbing two ankle procedures that could keep him out of the team's rotation for quite some time. ESPN's Shams Charania shared valuable intel about his potential return on Thursday.

The Knicks look forward to having Robinson back to play alongside Karl-Anthony Towns. Before Media Day, the front office traded Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in exchange for Towns.

However, they kept the defensive-minded big man on the team, which hints that they have plans to play the two big men together.

Robinson's return, however, could take a while, according to Charania:

"I'm told Mitchell Robinson is expected to miss the remainder of this calendar year 2024," Charania said. "But he is aiming to make a season debut at some point in January.

"He is a big part of this team, just like Karl-Anthony Towns is. But at center, Tom Thibodeau has loved Robinson's defensive presence. He's someone that's gonna play a vital role if he's able to get back on the court and get healthy.

"They're going to be hopeful that he's going to be back in the lineup and they're gonna be able to see how he looks, sometimes in lineups along with Karl-Anthony Towns. Them playing the five and four together."

Once the latter returns from rehab, the Knicks could play lineups involving KAT and Robinson. Their lineup would look similar to what the Minnesota Timberwolves did with Rudy Gobert and Towns, where the shooting big man played the power forward position.

Robinson fractured his ankle back in December and underwent surgery, causing him to miss 50 games. In the postseason, he re-injured his ankle against Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.

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Western Conference team linked to trading for Mitchell Robinson

Mitchell Robinson is no stranger to trade talks. Over the past few seasons, the Knicks center has been part of trade discussions but it has never materialized. This time, another trade rumor started, and Robinson's name was brought up.

Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes suggested that the Knicks should trade Robinson this season. Hughes said that it could help the team adjust their payroll to accommodate Towns and potentially have more depth to their roster.

The writer mentioned trading Robinson for the Utah Jazz's Walker Kessler. He may not be like the Knicks center, but he's a capable defender and comes at a cheaper contract. The Jazz can add either Jordan Clarkson or John Collins to the potential trade package.