Mitchell Robinson entered training camp at 250 pounds – 10 more than last season. He thinks the added weight can lower his foul rate in 2020-21.
“I feel like how the fouls came in (last year) was because I’m a little bit lighter than most of the guys in the league that have been here longer than me. And (they) have a little more experience,” Robinson said Monday. “With me adding a little weight, that’s definitely going to help me out (to) stay on the floor a little more than normal. Now I can kind of maintain guys (to keep them from moving freely). Just with that, I should be alright.”
Robinson is entering his third NBA season. He’s established himself as one of the top young interior defenders in the league. But Robinson has been hurt by foul trouble over the course of his first two seasons.
Tom Thibodeau was asked on Monday about Robinson’s tendency to pick up fouls on defense. Thibodeau said it’s been a point of emphasis in early practices.
“We start with individual fundamentals and then build up to the team skills,” Thibodeau said. “But there’s a lot of great instincts that he has. His ability to protect the rim is elite. Obviously keeping him on the floor, getting him to play with a little more technique, I think he can be even more disruptive. But he has a very big upside defensively.”
Robinson and Nerlens Noel will likely compete for the starting center job in training camp. Thibodeau said last week that Robinson needed to improve on his approach to practice, among other things. But the coach has referenced Robinson’s upside several times during his interviews with media.
“The big thing is everyday to come in and try to get better. Hopefully he’ll do that throughout the course of the year,” Thibodeau said. “As I mentioned there’s a huge upside with him. If he’s willing to work and make the commitment there’s no telling what he can do.”
Robinson posted videos of him working on three-point shots over the course of the offseason. It sounds like the Knicks would be open to Robinson expanding his range.
“The thing about Mitch is we’re in a day and age where you want guys to be all-around players, you want them to be able to make plays off the dribble, put it on the floor, make plays in the post,” Thibodeau said. “Obviously the way he finishes around the basket is special and unique and that’s his strength and will always be his strength. I would never want to put a lid on what he can become.
"We’ve seen throughout the league guys who historically have been inside players moved out to the perimeter. Usually you start with a corner three. If we can get to a point where he’s comfortable with his free throws and extend out beyond that, so be it. But that’s something that we do want him to work on, but we also want him to play to his strengths and cover up whatever weaknesses he may have.”
Here's what Robinson said about shooting threes this season when he was asked about it Monday: "I’m not just going to come out launching threes. If the shot presents itself, I’m going to take it…. I’m not going to go out there just launching shots.”
Robinson hasn’t attempted a three-point shot in his first two seasons.
Robinson on agent switch:
Wasserman announced last week that it had signed Robinson for representation. Robinson had worked with six agents prior to hiring Wasserman’s Thad Foucher.
“It really was just like personal stuff. I don’t really want to get into that. But it was just personal,” Robinson said on Monday. He added: “It’s like a thing where you learn and you wait until you get the right one. So that’s basically what I’m doing until I get the one that’s really down for me.”
Thibs on Knox:
Thibodeau on Monday offered an assessment of third-year wing Kevin Knox: “He’s had two really good days of practice so far. I hope he can sustain that over a long period of time. But he’s a young guy that has to get better. Looking at the shots that he had taken last year the ones that he took which I would quantify as good shots, he made those. So I think he started pressing and took some tough shots. When Kevin Knox takes good shots he’s going to make them. He’s put a lot of time into his shooting. I think he’s gotten stronger. But he’s got to continue to work. And if he does that Kevin Knox will be fine.”