Jonas Valanciunas is a trade target for the Knicks depending on Mitchell Robinson

It’s no secret that Mitchell Robinson (ankle) has struggled with injuries in recent years, having played in just 90 regular season games since the start of the 2022-23 season. The New York Knicks expect the seven-meter to return February, but there’s a chance they’ll run out of patience before then, via SNI’s Ian Begley.

“I believe there is a strong belief that he will come back and get it back on the floor by early February.” “I think it’s the right thing to do,” Begley said. “Now, do you wait that long, or do you move on and try to pick up someone else? I think Jonas Valanciunas will be someone that will be on their radar if they decide to move on from Mitch Robinson and decide they need someone else.

Is Jonas Valanciunas a worthy target for the Knicks?

Valanciunas would provide immediate value as a backup to Karl-Anthony-Towns. The 32-year-old is averaging 11.6 points on 55.8% shooting, along with 8.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 19.8 minutes per game. for the Washington Wizards this season. However, a more profitable scenario would be for Robinson to return at full strength.

“I really think in a perfect world, Mitch comes back, he’s healthy, he shows he can play, and they progress there,” Bagley continued. “I think we kind of forget how good he is at offensive rebounding, how good he is at defending the rim and what a high level he was playing before he got hurt last year.” A couple of injuries, first and then taking (Joel) Embiid out. The best case scenario for them is that it happens, and all I’ve heard is that he’s making linear progress in that rehab and that no one expected him not to come back at some point.

Indeed, Robinson’s skill set is a perfect fit for a Knicks team that doesn’t have another established center behind Towns, and they don’t have to give up any assets to risk his injury luck. The No. 36 overall pick in 2018 had 4.6 offensive rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 1.2 steals per game last season.

As long as Valanciunas is healthy, the Wizards they want valuable liquid capital for him, via the Athletics’ Josh Robbins and David Aldridge.

“Washington’s front office would like a draft pick (or picks) that would significantly move the team’s rebuild forward — not, say, a late second-round pick,” they wrote. “But it will be hard to find a suitor, at least before the usual trade-talk warm-up in the last week or so before the deadline, who would be willing to go much higher.”

It makes sense for New York to shell out a first-round pick for Valanciunas if and only if Robinson suffers a rehab setback.