The Boston Celtics have started to reshape their roster in free agency, and the first wave of moves brings help at both ends of the floor.
The bigger splash is Mitchell Robinson, who is headed from New York to Boston on a three-year, $47.4 million deal with a player option in the third season, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Robinson leaves the Knicks after playing a key role on the historic championship team.
“Free agent center Mitchell Robinson has agreed to a three-year, $47.4 million deal to sign with the Boston Celtics, with a player option in third season, sources tell ESPN. Robinson departs the Knicks after serving a key role on the historic championship team.”
Robinson had been viewed as one of the players the champion Knicks were likely to lose this summer after team owner James Dolan said they would not be a second apron team. Boston, in turn, used its non-taxpayer midlevel exception to land him.
The 28-year-old comes off a 2025-26 season in which he averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. He gives the Celtics exactly the kind of frontcourt presence they were missing: a strong offensive rebounder and a solid defender. Boston’s need for that kind of size was on full display after its first-round playoff loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, when Joel Embiid powered Philadelphia’s comeback from a 3-1 deficit.
Robinson’s arrival is a notable one for another reason, too. He spent the first eight seasons of his career in New York, so a move to Boston - a division rival - stands out. His first game back at MSG could get a chilly response.
Boston also added veteran guard Mike Conley Jr. on a one-year deal, per Charania.
“Free agent guard Mike Conley Jr. has agreed to a one-year deal to sign with the Boston Celtics, sources tell ESPN. Conley becomes only the 14th player in NBA history to reach 20 seasons.”
Conley spent the last three and a half seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves and moved into a bench role in 2025-26. He averaged 4.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.3 blocks per game.
Charania noted that several teams had interest in Conley, which fits for a player with his reputation around the league. Even with his numbers down, he remains a respected veteran and a strong locker room presence.
How much Conley plays for Boston next season remains to be seen. Another question hanging over the Celtics is whether Jaylen Brown will still be on the roster when next season begins, with rumors continuing to swirl about his future in Boston.
In Other News...
Knicks May Be Betting Big On A Familiar Frontcourt Fix
The Knicks have spent the early part of the offseason watching their frontcourt thinned out, with Mitchell Robinson headed to Boston and Ariel Hukporti on his way to Philadelphia. That has left New York searching for size and reliability behind its core, and it has pushed the front office into a familiar type of discussion: whether a veteran with a proven track record can help stabilize a rotation that suddenly needs more depth.
Kevon Looney has become part of that conversation, helped by his championship experience with Golden State and his history with Knicks coach Mike Brown. The appeal is obvious enough for a team looking to patch a hole without overcomplicating the roster, but the hesitation is real too, given the questions hanging over Looney after last seasons injury and uneven play. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks May Have A New Way To Handle Mitchell Robinson
Robert Williams IIIs new contract with Portland could end up being more than a footnote for the Knicks. The three-year extension, worth $44 million and built with partial guarantees tied to availability, gives New York a possible template as it sorts through its own future with Mitchell Robinson, a similarly impactful center whose game comes with the same durability questions but, in the Knicks view, a better recent availability track record.
The salary-cap piece matters just as much as the player fit. New York has a little under $6 million of room beneath the second apron, and Robinson would cost more than that, which makes the structure of any new deal as important as the total number. One path being discussed would give the Knicks a cleaner, fully guaranteed three-year commitment, but the real appeal is finding a framework that protects the team while still keeping a rim protector in place for a roster that has leaned on him when healthy. [Read more 🡒]
Former Knicks Big Man Is Gone And Fans Have One Complaint
Ariel Hukportis departure adds another small but noticeable footnote to the Knicks offseason, especially for fans who had been tracking the teams depth behind the starters. After spending his first two NBA seasons in New York, the big man moved on once the Knicks decided not to tender him a qualifying offer, leaving him free to explore the market and putting his next step in motion.
The move also leaves behind one familiar complaint from the fan base, which has watched the center picture shift while the team continues sorting out its rotation. Hukportis new deal and landing spot now put the focus on what New York gets from the roster spot he vacated, and whether the Knicks are comfortable with how they handled letting a young big walk without a matching offer in place. [Read more 🡒]