Lakers named landing spot for $60 million Knicks rebounding star originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Bringing back Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes in 2026-27 wouldn’t be ideal for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Neither center is a needle-mover, making it pivotal for Los Angeles to prioritize replacing at least one of them this offseason (likely Ayton).
Why not aggressively pursue a New York Knicks rebounding star whose four-year, $60 million contract is set to expire once the 2025-26 campaign concludes? The Athletic’s Dan Woike and Sam Amick believe it’s an idea worth exploring.
“The Lakers could try to chase restricted free agents Peyton Watson or Tari Eason, though both carry injury issues,” Woike and Amick wrote Tuesday.
“Centers Walker, Kessler, and Jalen Duren are widely expected to return to their current teams. Mitchell Robinson and Robert Williams III are both unrestricted free agents the Lakers could target, along with re-signing Jaxson Hayes.”
Robinson is arguably the Knicks’ most valuable second-unit contributor this year. Although the former second-round pick isn’t the most multi-faceted big man in the NBA, he excels in one particular aspect of the game: rebounding.
Robinson’s impeccable instincts and motor make him effective on the offensive and defensive glass. To put things in perspective, the 28-year-old averaged 16.1 rebounds per game per 36 minutes during the regular season (7.7 offensive rebounds and 8.4 defensive rebounds), further proving his dominance in that category.
Even if the Knicks, who are poised to compete in the Eastern Conference Finals for the second consecutive season, fail to win a title this season, it’s fair to assume New York will make a valiant effort to retain Robinson this summer.
Still, the Lakers will have the opportunity to entice the veteran center with an offer that would leave him no choice but to leave New York for Los Angeles.
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