NBA insider drops bad news on longest tenured Knicks star weeks after championship victory

The New York Knicks could be headed for a difficult offseason decision after an NBA insider cast fresh doubt over Mitchell Robinson's future with the franchise. Just weeks after winning the 2026 NBA championship, multiple reports now suggest the Knicks are unlikely to retain their longest-tenured player because of looming salary cap restrictions.The uncertainty centers on New York's determination to remain below the NBA's second luxury tax apron. That financial approach could force the front office to break up key pieces of a championship roster despite Robinson's importance on both ends of the floor.

NBA insider reveals Mitchell Robinson's future with the Knicks

Mitchell Robinson enters free agency after completing the four-year, $60 million contract he signed in 2022. While appearing on ESPN's Unsportsmanlike radio show, Brian Windhorst said Robinson's return remains far from certain.“He’s a bit of a polarizing player because he’s had some health issues and he hasn’t been able to play starter’s minutes, so do you give him starter money?" Windhorst said.

“So, I would say Mitch Robinson is 50/50. I don’t know, maybe 51-49 to come back. But that’s open that he might not be there.”That assessment followed SNY's Ian Begley reporting there are "several teams with big-time interest" in Robinson, with at least one organization potentially offering him a starting role.

Veteran Knicks reporter Stefan Bondy echoed the growing expectation, posting, "Heard it’s unlikely Mitchell Robinson will be back with Knicks next season."

The combination of outside interest and New York's financial limits has turned Robinson into one of the franchise's biggest offseason questions.

Why the Knicks may struggle to keep their championship core together

The Knicks entered the draft focused on creating financial flexibility, but keeping Robinson may still prove difficult.ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Robinson and guard Landry Shamet are not expected to return as unrestricted free agents because owner James Dolan is unwilling to exceed the second apron. Salary cap projections indicate New York has limited room to re-sign both players while filling out the remainder of its roster.Robinson's value further complicates negotiations. Although injuries have prevented him from consistently handling starter-level minutes, he remains one of the NBA's premier offensive rebounders.

Last season, he posted a 23.9 percent offensive rebounding rate, surpassing the previous league record held by Steven Adams.Analysts Fred Katz and Sam Vecenie recently projected Robinson could command roughly two years and $30 million on the open market, while estimates around the league suggest the Knicks are unlikely to exceed $15 million annually if they remain committed to staying below the second apron.Robinson averaged 4.8 points and 5.9 rebounds in 14 minutes per game during the championship season after the Knicks carefully managed his workload throughout the year.

His rim protection and rebounding became critical during the playoff run, making any departure difficult to replace.New York now faces a defining offseason choice. It can preserve financial flexibility or spend beyond the second apron to retain one of the longest-serving and most respected players in the organization, a decision that could reshape the roster before the franchise begins defending its NBA title.