The Celtics finally have a center, and they managed to sting a rival in the process.
Boston has signed former Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson to a three-year, $47.4 million contract that includes a player option in the third season, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Robinson had spent his entire eight-year NBA career in New York before this move, and he was part of the Knicks’ recent championship run.
For the Celtics, the appeal is pretty clear. They needed a big who could protect the rim, play with force and provide vertical spacing, and Robinson checks those boxes. He also brings strong work on the glass, leading all postseason teams with 5 offensive rebounds per game this past season.
There are obvious questions, too. Robinson is not a floor-spacer, and his free-throw shooting has been a long-standing issue.
In the 2025 Celtics-Knicks playoff series, he shot 14-for-31 from the line. That creates real fit concerns in Joe Mazzulla’s offense, especially if Boston is planning to hand him the starting job.
Still, with Robert Williams III, Kristaps Porzingis and Isaiah Hartenstein all re-signing with their teams in an already thin free-agent market, Robinson may have been the best realistic option available to Boston. And the deal didn’t come at a massive cost.
The other part of this is less about fit and more about the reaction in New York. Knicks fans appear to be genuinely frustrated by Robinson’s departure, which only adds to the satisfaction for Boston. Anytime the Celtics can land a blow on a New York team, it counts for something.
In Other News...
Celtics May Have Finally Solved The One Problem Fans Feared Most
Boston spent the offseason looking for help in the middle, and the answer may have arrived in a pair of veteran additions that should change how the roster looks on both ends. Mike Conley gives the Celtics another steady hand in the backcourt on a veteran minimum deal, while Mitchell Robinson brings the kind of size and physicality that can make life easier for everyone around him.
Robinsons arrival is the bigger swing for a team that wanted more reliability at center, especially in the areas that matter most over a long season. Boston is betting on him to clean up the paint, finish possessions and handle the kind of interior work that can keep the Celtics from being overexposed when the games get tighter, and the early fit is exactly why this move has drawn so much attention. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Just Crashed Into The Celtics Biggest Offseason Problem
The Celtics offseason has already been complicated enough at center, and now the Lakers are adding another layer to the problem. As Los Angeles reshapes its roster around Luka Doncic, it is surveying the free-agent market for help, including Sandro Mamukelashvili, a name Boston has had on its radar as the team tries to patch a thin frontcourt and keep its options open.
Quentin Grimes is another move worth watching for Celtics followers, even if the immediate action is happening in Los Angeles. The former 76ers guard is on the market after a strong playoff showing in Philadelphia, and any push to pry him away would matter in Boston because it chips at a division rival while the Celtics keep sorting through a center market that has not exactly broken their way. [Read more 🡒]
Rival All-NBA Big Man Wants Boston As Celtics Fans Fear Cost
Jalen Durens restricted free agency has turned into one of those summer situations that can tell you as much about the market as the player. The Pistons remain in control, since they can match any offer, but the gap between the two sides has opened the door to outside interest and a sign-and-trade path that has naturally put Boston in the conversation, right as the Celtics continue searching for ways to reshape the roster without losing their footing.
For Celtics fans, the appeal is obvious and the price tag is the part that can make you wince. Duren has been linked to a few different suitors as frustration builds in Detroit, and any real pursuit would require careful salary balancing and a willingness to part with serious talent, all while the Pistons still hold the power to keep him. The idea is intriguing enough to follow, but for now it remains one of those playoff-caliber name watches that could go nowhere fast if Detroit decides to simply shut the whole thing down. [Read more 🡒]