Knicks are watching Mitchell Robinson chase a record nobody’s talking about
Mitchell Robinson is currently on pace to be the most impactful single-season offensive rebounder in NBA history. And boy, are the New York Knicks reaping the rewards.
The 27-year-old big man is grabbing 36.7 percent of his teammates’ misses when he’s on the court. That would shatter the previous record, which was set by Steven Adams last year, when he boarded 21.4 percent of the Houston Rockets’ misfires.
Offensive rebounding, of course, is up around the league. Crashing the glass off your own team’s misses is one of the hottest trends. You expect to see some wild individual numbers as a result.
Robinson’s presence on the offensive glass is a revelation even by these standards. His 36.7 percent offensive rebounding rate is more than seven points higher than this season’s No. 2 Clint Capela, who checks in at 29.1 percent.
The question of sustainability naturally creeps into this discussion. Robinson has always been a great offensive rebounder, but the best ever? Is that realistic?
Mitchell Robinson is fueling the Knicks’ offense
Even though Robinson’s presence on the offensive boards is talked about ad nauseam, it’s seldom appreciated for the impact it has on the overall product. The Knicks are scoring 16.5 points more per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor. That is currently the highest swing on the team.
Second-chance opportunities are also among New York’s bread and butter. Its first-chance offense rates in the top eight, but when you’re launching so many three-pointers, you’re subject to a certain variance. The Knicks are no different.
Crashing the offensive glass helps keep the product on more event footing. The Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz are the only teams with a higher offensive rebounding rate on missed threes. Robinson is absolutely a part of that. New York is boarding 50 percent of its missed triples when he’s in the game.
To that end, the Knicks are averaging more than double the number of second-chance possessions with Robinson. And the team is more efficient scoring off these opportunities with him, too—in no small part thanks to him doing a better job of kicking rebounds out to the perimeter after grabbing them.
One thing is standing in Robinson’s way of history
Sustainability isn’t the concern in Robinson’s quest for history. That would be availability.
He has already missed half of the team’s games, and New York has made it abundantly clear he’ll be on a load-management plan all season. This will inherently repress his minutes, and he needs to log 1,500 total of them to qualify for the offensive rebounding leaderboard.
That is…a tall order. Robinson has only cleared the 1,500-minute plateau twice, and not since 2022-23. Though head coach Mike Brown recently hinted that his center’s minutes could ramp up, it isn’t clear what that means.
Frankly, it might not matter. Robinson is 1,403 minutes short of the qualifications. Even if he plays in every one of the Knicks’ remaining games—which we know he won’t—he’d need to average over 20 minutes per contest. That’s about four more than right now.
The calculus changes if Robinson averages around 25 minutes. He could afford to miss 14 more games if that’s the case. Considering New York has Towns, and Robinson hasn’t hit 25 minutes per game since 2022-23, this feels like a stretch as well.
Nobody should care so long as Robinson is available in the playoffs. He doesn’t need to officially go down as the most impactful single-season offensive rebounder. We’ve seen enough, for long enough, to know he’s capable of being exactly that.
Celtics Secretly Held Early Trade Talks for 10-Time NBA All-Star: Report
Before the Los Angeles Lakers stunned the NBA by trading Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Dončić
Siegel reported Friday that the Lakers began gauging Davis’ value early last season, months before former Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison executed the most shocking midseason trade in league history.
“Of the teams that the Lakers spoke with when they were first putting out feelers for Davis, the Boston Celtics held a couple of calls with Los Angeles,” Siegel wrote
While discussions never reached a serious stage, one message from Boston stood out:
“We’ll keep it in mind.”
Getty Anthony Davis of the Dallas Mavericks walks off of the court after a game against the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden.
Sources told Siegel the response indicated that Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and his front office were at least “receptive” to the idea of pursuing Davis.
Boston was among the strongest bidders for Davis during the 2019 trade sweepstakes, before he was ultimately sent from the
Lakers Chose Mavericks Deal Over Revisiting Boston Talks
Despite the early-season contact, Boston never got a second chance. The Lakers ultimately sent Davis to Dallas in February, where he was paired with star guard
It is unclear what the Lakers sought from Boston in a potential deal. The Celtics may have opted to maintain roster stability after their 2024
Celtics’ Title Defense Derailed by Injuries
Boston’s plan to “stay the course,” however, fell apart quickly.
Porziņģis missed significant time with recurring injuries, and Tatum suffered an Achilles injury that ended his season. The Celtics ultimately fell in the second round, unable to replicate their Finals success.
The timing raises the question: with Dallas now reassessing its roster post-Harrison, could Boston get a second shot at landing Davis?
Should Dallas ‘Blow It Up’? Jeff Teague Says Celtics Are the Scariest Landing Spot
The topic gained traction again this week on the Club 520 Podcast, hosted by former NBA guard Jeff Teague. The panel openly debated what direction the Mavericks should take after parting ways with Harrison — including whether they should completely reset the roster.
“Just blow it up,” one host said, as the group discussed how Dallas should move forward after dealing Dončić for Davis.
The conversation quickly shifted to potential Davis destinations, with Teague pointing to the Celtics as the most “terrifying” fit.
Derrick White Floated as Possible Trade Chip in Celtics–Davis Scenario
The hosts floated several hypothetical trade frameworks, mentioning the Minnesota Timberwolves as one possible landing spot, but repeatedly circling back to Boston.
They joked that the Celtics “don’t even use a point guard for real,” imagining a super-sized Big Three of Tatum, Brown and Davis anchoring a dominant Boston frontcourt.
The group discussed which Celtics players could realistically be included in a trade package, with White consistently mentioned as the most likely centerpiece.
“Would you trade Derrick White for Anthony Davis? Yeah, I mean, realistically, yes — you have to,” one host said, while also acknowledging the obvious concern: Davis’ extensive injury history.
The podcast also mentioned Payton Pritchard and other role players as possible add-ins, but emphasized that Boston would aim to keep both Tatum and Brown out of any deal.
From their perspective, a package built around White for a healthy Davis would be a “no-brainer talent swing” for a Celtics team still chasing sustained dominance.
