A Knicks starters' viral post stirs concern ahead of his long-awaited return

The 4-5 New York Knicks are no doubt missing starter Mitchell Robinson after getting off to a rocky start to the year. Although they have a top-three offense, they rank just 23rd in defensive rating.

Getting Robinson back should help them significantly in that regard but he is out until at least January as he recovers from an ankle injury. By then, he will have missed three months of basketball and a recent Snapchat post by Robinson has led to some concern from Knicks fans about how he will play once he returns.

Robinson's post showed him shirtless and he appears to be noticeably heavier than he was prior to his injury. Of course, it is just a picture, and it can be hard to judge someone's conditioning from a social media post.

Big men also tend to put on weight, though Robinson's game is predicated on his athleticism and mobility. As a result, if he indeed put on more weight, playing heavier would put more pressure on his ankle. That could lead to another injury once he returns.

Robinson has struggled at times to stay healthy and his missing at least the team's first 25 games will hurt the Knicks. New York already doesn't have a lot of depth after trading for Mikal Bridges and Karl Anthony-Towns so they are counting on him to be ready sooner rather than later.

Should the New York Knicks be concerned about Mitchell Robinson?

Considering that he hasn't played this season and won't be read until January, the Knicks should probably have concerns about his ability to stay healthy. In fact, they were even reportedly considering trading him earlier this season. They still might but that probably won't have anything to do with his apparent conditioning if they do.

Given the Knicks' depth issues, trading him might be a way to help solve that problem or to give them more breathing room when it comes to the first apron. That will largely depend on how he looks upon his return to the lineup. If he plays well, then they might hold onto him and see how he meshes with Bridges and Towns. If he doesn't play well or doesn't fit, then he could be on the move.

Ultimately, it is a long way between now and January, giving him time to get in shape--if he is out of shape--and the Knicks will need him if they hope to make a deep run in the playoffs.