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Mitchell Robinson’s rim protection made him a vital part of the Knicks’ championship run, but a reported Lakers offer could complicate New York’s efforts to keep the veteran center.
The New York Knicks may have just received their biggest offseason challenge.
Mitchell Robinson has remained one of the franchise’s top free-agent priorities after playing an integral role in its championship run, but a new report suggests the Los Angeles Lakers are preparing an offer New York may struggle to match.
According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, the Lakers are expected to pursue Robinson aggressively once free agency opens, with plans to offer the veteran center a long-term contract worth roughly the NBA’s non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
If that report proves accurate, the Knicks could soon face a difficult choice between preserving financial flexibility and keeping one of the most important pieces of their title-winning rotation.
Lakers Preparing Significant Offer for Robinson
Siegel reported Friday that Robinson sits near the top of Los Angeles’ offseason wish list.
“And it shouldn’t come as a secret to anyone that the Lakers already have plans to pursue Robinson as well,” Siegel wrote.
“Early talk regarding Los Angeles is that they are prepared to offer Robinson a long-term deal that would hold an annual average value around the mid-level exception, sources said.”
If the Lakers operate as an over-the-cap team while remaining below the NBA’s first apron, they would gain access to the approximately $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception, giving them the spending power to make Robinson one of their marquee offseason additions.
There is little margin for error.
If Los Angeles crosses the first apron, it would lose access to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception and instead be limited to the $6.1 million taxpayer mid-level exception.
Should the Lakers exceed the second apron, they would lose access to a mid-level exception altogether.
That financial flexibility could give Los Angeles a meaningful advantage.
Knicks’ Salary Cap Crunch Is Becoming Clearer
GettyOwner James Dolan of the New York Knicks made it clear it’s “suicidal” for the team to go over the second apron.
The Knicks have carefully managed their payroll through the opening days of the offseason.
Jose Alvarado recently declined his player option to sign a new three-year contract structured to keep New York below the NBA’s punitive second apron. The organization also re-signed Mohamed Diawara while maintaining flexibility to complete the remainder of the roster.
Even so, the financial picture is tightening rapidly.
Following Alvarado’s new deal, New York has approximately $208 million committed to 10 players, leaving roughly $14 million in room before reaching the second apron while still needing to sign at least four more players to satisfy the NBA’s minimum roster requirement.
That math creates a significant challenge.
The remaining space likely would not be enough to re-sign both Robinson and Landry Shamet while filling the final roster spots with veteran minimum contracts, unless president Leon Rose first creates additional flexibility through salary-clearing trades.
The Knicks do retain another option.
They could choose to exceed the second apron and keep more of their championship core intact, but doing so would run counter to owner James Dolan’s desire to avoid the NBA’s harshest luxury-tax penalties and roster-building restrictions.
Robinson Became Indispensable During Title Run
GettyNew York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) and San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama battle for a rebound during Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals in San Antonio, Texas. Robinson finished with 10 rebounds, including a pivotal late offensive board that helped seal New York’s first NBA championship in 53 years.
One of the NBA’s premier offensive rebounders and interior defenders when healthy, Robinson became an indispensable part of New York’s championship rotation.
His defining moment came late in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, when Robinson battled through traffic to secure a crucial offensive rebound after Josh Hart missed a free throw, extending the possession and helping the Knicks clinch their first NBA championship since 1973.
Robinson averaged 5.6 rebounds and 3.6 points in the Finals while serving as Karl-Anthony Towns‘ primary backup.
Across 53 career playoff games, he has averaged 7.0 rebounds, 4.9 points and 0.9 blocks, repeatedly proving his value in postseason basketball, where offensive rebounding and rim protection often become even more valuable.
That production helps explain why retaining Robinson has become one of Leon Rose’s biggest offseason priorities.
Knicks Already Exploring Contingency Plans
If Robinson ultimately signs elsewhere, the ripple effects would extend well beyond free agency.
Former second-round pick Ariel Hukporti would likely enter training camp as the leading candidate to assume the primary backup center role behind Towns unless New York acquires another veteran through free agency or the trade market.
The Knicks have already begun identifying alternatives.
Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported in The Stein Line Friday that former Golden State Warriors center Kevon Looney has emerged as a potential contingency plan if Robinson departs.
Looney’s familiarity with new head coach Mike Brown—who coached him for six seasons as Steve Kerr’s lead assistant in Golden State—makes him a logical fallback option.
Still, replacing Robinson’s combination of rebounding, rim protection and championship-tested chemistry would be no easy task.
Whether the Lakers ultimately submit the reported offer remains to be seen.
But if Siegel’s reporting proves accurate, the Knicks may soon confront the defining personnel decision of their championship defense.
Keeping Robinson could require New York to move salary elsewhere, exceed James Dolan’s preferred spending threshold, or risk losing one of the unsung heroes of its title run to one of the NBA’s marquee franchises.
Alder Almo is a veteran NBA reporter for Heavy.com, covering the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. He brings over 20 years of experience across local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Originally from the Philippines, he is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo
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