The Celtics didn’t exactly come out swinging on Tuesday, but Wednesday morning changed the mood fast. Boston opened free agency by landing Mike Conley on a veteran minimum deal, then followed that up with the kind of move that can reshape a rotation: Mitchell Robinson is headed to the Celtics on a three-year, $47.4 million contract.
That’s a major win for Boston, both because Robinson was the best center still available and because the Celtics pulled him away from the Knicks in the process. He gives them exactly the kind of presence they were missing - a true rim protector, a strong rebounder, and a screen-setting, rim-running big who can make life easier on both ends.
Robinson’s game fits cleanly with what Joe Mazzulla wants to do. Boston’s identity may be built around threes, but the deeper engine is pace, spacing, and winning the possession battle.
Robinson helps there in a big way. He’s a force on the glass, he creates extra chances with offensive rebounds, and he gives the Celtics a reliable anchor behind the defense.
The Celtics know his value well from years of facing him. Mazzulla and his staff have made it obvious how they viewed Robinson, often fouling him intentionally to keep him off the floor.
That shooting concern is still there, but Boston isn’t bringing him in to stretch the floor. They’re bringing him in to do the dirty work around the rim.
If opposing teams want to go to “hack-a-Mitch,” Boston will have to live with it. Even so, the Celtics still have Neemias Queta and Luka Garza in the mix, so they’re not left exposed. In practical terms, this move gives Boston a much better answer at center than Nikola Vucevic, who never clicked and struggled defensively.
The fit is also about timing and need. The Celtics still had holes to fill at guard and in the frontcourt, and they’ve already addressed both with Conley and Robinson.
There’s still uncertainty about how much Conley has left, but he gives them another steady ballhandler. Robinson, meanwhile, is 28 and in his prime.
Last season with the Knicks, he averaged 8.8 rebounds, 4.6 offensive rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game while coming off the bench and logging fewer than 20 minutes a night behind Karl-Anthony Towns. He also shot 72% from the field, and that efficiency should translate well in Boston through pick-and-roll action and second-chance opportunities.
The Celtics weren’t in position to spend big on a center, and they didn’t want to sacrifice major assets to solve the spot. On the market they had, this was the cleanest answer. Brad Stevens and the Celtics didn’t just improve their center room - they strengthened it significantly while weakening a rival in the Eastern Conference.
In Other News...
Aaron Boone Made One Choice Yankees Fans Wont Stop Arguing About
The Yankees have spent most of this week trying to patch together an offense that has vanished at the worst possible time, and the latest loss only added to the frustration. After the 11-inning defeat to the Tigers, the clubs losing streak reached seven games, with the lineup still operating under the strain of an overnight illness that left Aaron Boone with fewer options than usual and a group that has struggled to put together anything resembling a sustained rally.
The bigger concern is how thin the margin for error has become. New York has managed only 23 hits over its last six games, the fewest in any six-game span in franchise history, and every decision now gets magnified when the bats are this quiet. Boones in-game maneuvering is already under the microscope, and after the Yankees had a chance to grab the game in the 10th before things unraveled in the 11th, it is clear the debate around his choices is not going away anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Just Made A Bullpen Move Fans Will Absolutely Hate
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Then came the move fans were expecting to hate: rookie right-hander Yovanny Cruz was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, a decision that landed badly because of how effective he has looked in recent relief work. In a bullpen already feeling the strain, the timing made the reaction even sharper, and the backlash around the decision quickly became part of the story. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Fans Wont Like Boones Latest Call During This Brutal Skid
The Yankees seven-game slide has put every in-game choice under a microscope, and Aaron Boones latest decision only added to the frustration. In the middle of an extra-inning chance to finally stop the bleeding, the Yankees had their best opening to end the skid after Jos Caballeros bunt moved Spencer Jones to third, setting up a tense spot where the margin for error was tiny.
Instead of leaning into a different look at the plate, Boone stayed with Oswaldo Cabrera and later framed the call as one rooted in confidence that Cabrera could put the ball in play. It was the kind of explanation that is bound to draw second-guessing when a team is stuck in its worst slump since 2023, especially with injuries and a sputtering offense making every missed opportunity feel even bigger. [Read more 🡒]