Before making a splash in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, both fans and sports analysts saw Isaiah Hartenstein, the New York Knicks’ center, as a prime target for the Memphis Grizzlies to pursue in the offseason to fill their vacant center position. However, Hartenstein’s stellar performance in the postseason has significantly increased his market value, leading many, including Locked on Grizzlies analyst Joe Mullinax, to believe that he may be too expensive for the Grizzlies to afford.
Interestingly, Hartenstein’s rise in value could make his teammate, Mitchell Robinson, more dispensable during the upcoming offseason, especially if the Knicks need to free up salary cap space to accommodate Hartenstein’s potential contract demands. If Robinson becomes available for trade, the Grizzlies might want to explore the possibility of acquiring him.
The Memphis Grizzlies should keep a close watch on Knicks center Mitchell Robinson. While the notion of pursuing a player with a well-documented history of injuries may not appeal to Grizzlies fans, especially after the challenging season they just experienced, the prospect of adding someone of Robinson’s caliber to a Grizzlies team in need of a center and focused on winning now is undeniably appealing.
Many see Robinson as an ideal fit for the Grizzlies’ center position, similar to how Nic Claxton of the Nets is viewed. With his impressive skill set and still relatively young age of 26, Robinson could seamlessly integrate into the Grizzlies’ rotation for next season and beyond, given that he has two more years remaining on his contract.
However, Robinson’s extensive injury history casts uncertainty on his availability for nightly rotations. Since being drafted in 2018, he has only played 60 or more games in a season three times, accounting for half of his career, and has twice played in just 31 games in a season. These health concerns led to Isaiah Hartenstein taking over as the Knicks’ starting center and could make Robinson expendable in the upcoming offseason.
While there’s no clear indication of the Knicks’ plans for Robinson beyond the 2023-24 season, some, like Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz, anticipate that the franchise may place him on the trade block before next season, with the Grizzlies potentially being interested in his talents.
Given Robinson’s injury history, any potential trade offer from Memphis would likely not involve substantial assets. However, considering his potential impact when healthy, the Grizzlies should definitely inquire about his availability this offseason, as it could be a valuable move for Zach Kleiman and the team.
