The New York Knicks have taken a commanding 2-0 NBA Finals lead over the San Antonio Spurs, and if there is one player who should be put out by this it is Mark Williams of the Phoenix Suns.
The 24-year-old is looking for a healthy extension this summer, be that with the Suns or through a sign-and-trade. Mitchell Robinson of the Knicks is a competitior for more money and long-term job security he did not see coming.
Robinson will enter unrestricted free agency to same suitors as Williams
The current Knicks backup has had some excellent moments this offseason, to the point where the "hack-a-Robinson" strategy employed by the Spurs in Game 2 was abandoned after he started making some free-throws.
Robinson is never going to be anything close to elite at the line, but what he has proven he can do in small bursts is hang with Victor Wembanyama. It is luxury the Knicks have and one of the reasons they are winning the series. Karl-Anthony Towns should get more love for Finals MVP (it will go to Jalen Brunson if they win), for how brilliant he has been for over a month now.
But being able to rest and have Robinson take over for pockets of time is part of the reason why he and the Knicks have been so successful.
Mike Brown was dying laughing watching Mitchell Robinson and Victor Wembanyama get into a little shoving match…
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) June 6, 2026
😬😬 https://t.co/4dKjRT6dRl pic.twitter.com/dk0p871x9V
Unfortunately for New York, win or lose, their roster is too expensive to bring Robinson back on the kind of money he will be looking for and deserves. Which puts him in the same spot as Williams, and although he is four years older and has had injury issues of his own, Robinson has also proven he can do it on the biggest stage.
The same cannot be said for Williams, who is still yet to appear in a single playoff game.
We saw former Sun Bismack Biyombo (another surprise contributor on a team that made it to the finals) parlay a strong postseason performance with the Toronto Raptors into a massive payday by the Orlando Magic a decade ago (25 rebounds!). Robinson is going to follow in that path.
It is just unfortunate for Williams that this has come at a time when there aren't a lot of center options in the league.
Ending on a positive at should the Los Angeles Lakers sign Robinson, it won't impact Williams' summer. He can't go there anyway after they veto'd a trade for him in the past, and if this happens perhaps both players can get paid and not take from the other.
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