Mitchell Robinson Stuns Knicks, Inks 3-Year $47.4M Deal with Celtics

Free-agent center Mitchell Robinson is heading to the Boston Celtics on a three-year, $47.4 million contract that includes a player option for Year 3, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania and confirmed by HoopsRumors. Boston will use its full non-taxpayer mid-level exception to pry the 28-year-old away from the New York Knicks, placing the Celtics hard-capped at the first apron for the 2026-27 season. Robinson averaged 9.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks while shooting 71.8 percent from the field during the Knicks’ championship run last spring. His elite rim protection and offensive rebounding should slot perfectly alongside Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, giving Boston a vertical lob threat and a defensive anchor who can spare Kristaps Porziņģis heavy minutes at the five. For president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, the move addresses two lingering holes: interior durability and second-chance scoring. Robinson ranked sixth in the league in offensive rebound rate last year, an area where Boston finished just 22nd. On defense he held opponents to 54.3 percent at the rim, a top-10 mark among high-volume rim protectors. Financially, the Celtics had just enough room under the first apron ($189.5 million) to offer the full MLE starting at $15.6 million. Because the deal contains a player option, league rules prevented a sign-and-trade, forcing New York to decide whether to match straight up. Owner James Dolan reportedly balked at going into the second apron, allowing Robinson to walk for nothing and creating a glaring void behind Isaiah Hartenstein in Tom Thibodeau’s frontcourt rotation. Boston’s depth chart now projects Robinson/Porziņģis/Luke Kornet at center, with newly signed guard Mike Conley expected to stabilize the second unit. The Robinson addition should also ease the regular-season workload of Porziņģis, whose calf issues limited him to 58 games last year. Next on the docket: filling the final roster spot and exploring minimum-salary wings who can defend multiple positions. With the league moratorium lifting July 6, Robinson can officially sign and join the Celtics’ summer strength program in Las Vegas. Bottom line: By landing the market’s best defensive big without sacrificing assets, the Celtics further solidify their status as Eastern Conference favorites while the Knicks scramble for a Plan B in the paint.