Mitchell Robinson is a top free agent center target for the Los Angeles Lakers, and even after ESPN's latest report that he will stay with the Knicks on what will "likely" be a two-year deal, he is still a player the team should keep an eye on. There is an issue with Mitch, though, and it's his injuries. LA got a reminder of that on Thursday, when Shams Charania reported that he underwent surgery on his broken pinky.
The silver lining is that it wasn't a more serious injury, and the morning after Charania incited panic amongst the Knicks' fan base, he said that Robinson plans to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Mitchell Robinson has undergone surgery on his broken right pinky finger -- and fully plans to play in the New York Knicks' Game 1 of the NBA Finals against OKC or San Antonio next Wednesday while wearing a brace on his hand, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/IkABI9rMsk
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 29, 2026
Still, it could serve as a warning to the Lakers. Robinson played 60 regular-season games for the first time since 2019-20, but he averaged 19.6 minutes per game. His career average is 23.4.
New York had the big man on an injury management plan all season, and he didn't play in back-to-backs. The Knicks wanted him to be healthy for the most important time of the year (right now), and he was available for all but one of their 14 playoff games up until this point. Their strategy worked in their favor, but is that something the Lakers could realistically do?
Signing Mitchell Robinson would be risky move for Lakers
Robinson is New York's backup center, behind Karl-Anthony Towns. That doesn't minimize his impact, but Los Angeles would need him to start. It could work out at first, but he's prone to injuries.
He played just 17 games last season, and in 2023-24, he played 31. Luckily for New York, before the team traded for KAT, it had Isaiah Hartenstein. He stepped up in Robinson's absence two seasons ago and took the starting role, which he leveraged into the three-year, $87 million contract he signed with the Thunder in 2024. The Lakers don't have someone like Hartenstein on the bench.
Robinson would be a great fit alongside Luka Dončić, so he already checks off the most important box for the Lakers. He could anchor LA's defense with his rim protection and give the team more offensive possessions with his rebounding prowess. They'd need someone they could rely on, though, and there are too many injury concerns with Mitch.
Unfortunately, those same injury concerns also apply to other free-agent center targets for the Lakers, so they may have to roll the dice regardless. Robinson's history is too much to ignore, with his latest injury a prime example.
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