Potential replacement No. 5: JaVale McGee
If given the chance, why not bring some championship experience into a totally talented, yet inexperienced, squad? JaVale McGee offers exactly that and would come with a pretty low price tag on him.
McGee was a starting member of the 2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers team that ultimately won it all, meaning that his abilities should not be further questioned. He does the dirty work and, to be frank, brings along many similarities with Robinson.
Replacing an injured member of the team with a player of a similar playstyle seems like the logical thing to do. A defensive-minded center like McGee is set for success under Tom Thibodeau’s playstyle that focuses primarily on limiting the opponent.
JaVale is now a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who started off the season on a positive note, though, unlike the New York Knicks, have not maintained the same pace. Now on an 8-game losing streak, it’s a signal that some moves need to be done in Cleveland.
Offloading veterans on expiring deals like McGee should be priority No. 1 for Koby Altman. It’s a buyer’s market and playoff contenders such as the Knicks will take advantage of that. Would one of New York’s surplus guards be enough to seal the deal?