The inevitable became reality.
The champions will not fully be running it back. And their rival got a little bit better.
Mitchell Robinson is not returning to the Knicks, as he intends to sign a three-year, $47.4 million deal with the Celtics in free agency. Previously the longest-tenured Knicks player, Robinson ends his eight-year run with the team, which culminated in a title.
Though his departure was hardly a surprise, what was not a given was his destination. A lifelong Knick now joins their longtime enemy, who are likely to continue to be one of their top threats in the Eastern Conference.
Mitchell Robinson celebrates after the Knicks’ NBA championship win on June 13, 2026. NBAE via Getty ImagesA 2018 second-round pick, Robinson, now 28, developed from a raw shot-blocker into a key bench piece and one of the best rebounders in the NBA.
Despite his importance, it became clear that the Knicks would not be able to make a respectable offer while maintaining owner James Dolan’s stated goal of staying under the second apron.
The Knicks already secured two of their top three free agents in Jose Alvarado and Landry Shamet to multiyear deals, along with Mohamed Diawara. Those moves left the Knicks roughly $9 million under the second apron and still needing to sign three players heading into Tuesday’s start of free agency.
Teams were officially allowed to begin negotiating with all other free agents Tuesday (they could negotiate with their own free agents immediately after the Finals), though no deals can be made official until July 6.
That trio of moves meant the Knicks could really only fill out the roster with minimum deals, way below what Robinson commanded on the open market.
Mitchell Robinson (l.) with Karl-Anthony Towns (r.) at the Knicks’ championship ceremony at City Hall on June 18, 2026. GC ImagesReally, once Dolan expressed his desire to stay under the second apron, bringing back Robinson would likely be impossible. The Post’s Stefan Bondy reported last week that it was unlikely he’d be back.
His absence means the Knicks now need a backup center behind Karl-Anthony Towns. And it won’t be Ariel Hukporti, who plans to sign a one-year, $3.4 million deal with another rival in the 76ers. That salary is about $1 million more than the minimum.
Robinson’s departure means Miles McBride — who arrived in the 2021-22 season — is now the longest-tenured Knick.
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Robinson’s final contribution was securing one of the biggest rebounds in franchise history — corralling Josh Hart’s missed free throw with 26.1 seconds left and the Knicks up by three points in Game 5 of the Finals. The play denied the Spurs a chance to tie the game, all but sealing the win and the championship.
He is coming off his healthiest season since 2021-22, as the Knicks’ load management plan helped him play 60 games in the regular season. But he was less effective in the postseason, often being played off the court due to opponents’ Hack-a-Mitch strategy that exploited his putrid free-throw shooting (29.3 percent in the playoffs). Interestingly, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla was among the most aggressive in utilizing Hack-a-Mitch. Now, the two will be working together.
Robinson also broke his hand in an off-court incident between the conference finals and Finals, adding to some of the potential question marks.
Even with all that, Robinson emerged as a fan favorite with his quirky personality, love of country music and monster trucks, and viral moments with the media.
The championship team that those fans fell in love with will now look, and feel, a little bit different.
