Mitchell Robinson, New York Knicks
The Los Angeles Clippers lost Montrezl Harrell, their third-leading scorer from last season, to the Los Angeles Lakers in the offseason, leaving them with a void in the paint on their roster. Ivica Zubac and Serge Ibaka should be able to fill a lot of the minutes Harrell leaves behind, but being able to move Ibaka to the power-forward position after acquiring Mitchell Robinson could be very beneficial for the Clippers.
Acquiring Mitchell Robinson provides the Clippers with a legit shot-blocker and aggressive rebounder, but more big man depth they need. Marcus Morris could be a threat in the second-unit off-the-bench for the Clippers instead of having to start. In this role, Morris could thrive as the strong perimeter shooter he is and not have to deal with the aggression of his opponent’s starting power-forward.
Most teams last year looked to expose Morris by posting him up, but with Serge Ibaka and Mitchell Robinson side-by-side, the Clippers would have a great defensive frontcourt— making their unit a scary threat alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
Last season, Mitchell Robinson averaged 9.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 74.2% from the floor, the best shooting percentage in the NBA. Whether he would start for the Clippers or come off the bench would remain a question, but he could easily fill the hole that reigning Sixth Man of the Year, Montrezl Harrell, left the Clippers with.
Robinson definitely would cost the Clippers in terms of trade assets and for a team that does not have much bench depth, they would have to trade draft picks that they really do not have. The Clippers do not have a first-round pick until 2027, which could limit them to pull off a big move via trade this offseason. However, Mitchell Robinson would be a guy who could not only be a factor defensively for Los Angeles, but be a legit low-post threat.
