The Knicks have been highly impressive this season! When they acquired Karl-Anthony Towns in a blockbuster trade, everyone wondered if the move would work in their favor. Well, they have cleared all doubts by climbing to the third spot in the East standings. But there is still a long way to go and the Knicks are facing a major concern! They are still in need of a backup big and Mitchell Robinson is yet to make his season debut following his ankle surgery. And as trade rumors continue to escalate, another worrying report has emerged about the big man.

Turns out, veteran insider Ian Bagley saw Robinson in the locker room and he has gone through a major transformation. “He looks slim.” Bagley remarked. Well, it was last Friday that Mitchell shared a video of him dropping to 268 pounds as part of his conditioning process. But the latest sighting reveals that the Center has shed a couple more pounds since then, which could be a problem.

Sure, losing weight shows that Robinson is staying in shape despite not having played in an NBA game since last May. And that’s great news, considering he had ballooned to over 280 pounds in the past. But slimming down too much is a problem because it might become easy for other Centers to bully him inside the paint. Of course, other elite bigs in the NBA like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid are over 280 lbs and it will be difficult for Robinson to contain them with a smaller frame.

Moreover, this update could also hurt Mitchell’s future in New York because the Knicks are reportedly looking to trade him for more depth. Yes, he has another year left on his $60 million deal, and James Dolan could use that number to acquire a backup Center for KAT before the February deadline. But where could Robinson land?

Washington emerges as potential destination for Mitchell Robinson amid Knicks’ desperation

Of course, Robinson is a solid player when healthy, averaging 8.5 rebounds and over one block last season. He even played a huge role in the team’s playoff run. WHEN HEALTHY being the key term. Unfortunately, his lingering ankle issues are gradually turning him into a liability for the team as Precious Achiuwa and other teammates are filling in his spot despite not being true Centers.

Sure, a trade could solve the Knicks’ issue. That’s why rumors of Robinson being shopped away to Washington are making the rounds. As per analyst Matt Shovelson, “The Knicks need bench help badly and the Wizards have players such as Malcolm Brogdon or Corey Kispert that could help with that.” A trade would also give the Knicks room to pursue other bigs like Cameron Johnson or Nikola Vucevic.

However, Robinson’s market value is not where it once was because of his injury prone nature. Teams would not want to risk giving up too much to acquire an unreliable star. That’s why Knicks want him to return to the lineup soon and either help them win or increase his trade value. While he is making decent progress, Mitchell is far from his return as Tom Thibodeau said last week, “He hasn’t been cleared for contact yet. So, that will be the next phase.”

Meanwhile, the Knicks will have to make the most of what they have got like they have been doing all season. But they surely need more depth to become title contenders and avoid a fate similar to last season. Do you think they should trade Robinson?