The Los Angeles Lakers are hunting size to complement superstar Luka Doncic next season and beyond, and a center currently playing in the NBA Finals is a strong option.
New York Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson bodied up San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama across 13 minutes in a Game 1 victory Wednesday night, June 3, grabbing six rebounds and adding two points in the process.
Arguably the best offensive rebounder in the league, Robinson averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds (4.2 offensive) and 1.2 blocks in 19.6 minutes per game across 60 appearances during the 2025-26 campaign.
The 28-year-old is about to finish out his four-year, $60 million contract and will become an unrestricted free agent within a matter of weeks.
Meanwhile, L.A. needs a rim protector who can bang inside and help the team defend against the likes of Wembanyama, who shot just 6-of-21 in Game 1 against New York. Robinson was effective during his time on the floor in preventing the young phenom from getting to his preferred spots, which led to a rocky and disjointed performance from Wembanyama that contributed to a 10-point road win for the Knicks.
Robinson’s value offensively is primarily on the glass, though he is incredibly strong and athletic and could certainly fill the role of lob threat that the Lakers are looking for from a big man playing alongside Doncic.
Mitchell Robinson Not Only Viable Center Lakers Can Pursue This Offseason
GettyMitchell Robinson of the New York Knicks.
Ryan Ward of ON SI wrote a case Thursday for Robinson heading to L.A. this summer.
“Robinson’s stats won’t blow anyone away, especially when compared to other potential options like Walker Kessler, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Hartenstein, but his impact is felt every time he touches the basketball floor as a rim protector, attacking the glass and a lob threat,” Ward wrote. “He’s been vital to the Knicks’ success during the postseason.”
One consideration for the Lakers in their hunt for a big man is skill set/fit. Another is availability, and a third is price.
Kessler is a restricted free agent (RFA) this summer, and it will be difficult for Los Angeles to wrestle him away from the Utah Jazz.
Duren is also a restricted free agent, but had a bad playoffs after an All-NBA regular season. The Detroit Pistons almost certainly want him back, but run the risk of overpaying for a young player who shrunk during his first real opportunity to shine on the biggest stage. That doesn’t mean the Lakers shouldn’t pursue him, but it adds risk beyond the existing difficulty of signing Duren given his RFA status.
Hartenstein might be the best of the three alternatives to Robinson that Ward mentioned, as the Oklahoma City Thunder hold a $28.5 million club option on his contract for 2026-27 and likely need to trim some salary this summer.
Mitchell Robinson Has Problems With Injuries, Foul Shooting That Could Complicate Lakers’ Outlook
GettyMitchell Robinson of the New York Knicks.
Robinson should be less expensive than any of those three players and offers a few traits that have proven specifically meaningful in big men who play next to Doncic. That means Robinson could provide L.A. with the best bang for its buck in terms of big men this offseason, even if he isn’t the most talented available player.
That said, Robinson comes with two considerable concerns. The first is injury.
He played in 60 contests this year for just the fourth time in eight pro seasons and the first time in the last four campaigns. The Knicks center also hit 59 games played in 2022-23.
The second issue is opposing teams have adopted a strategy of trying to play Robinson off the court by fouling him intentionally. He shot over 72 percent from the field in 2025-26 on 3.4 attempts per game because most of his tries were from inside three feet, and many of those were dunks.
However, Robinson shot under 41 percent from the free throw line, where he is under 51 percent for his career.
Robinson has appeared in 60.5 percent of a possible 656 regular-season contests during his time in the NBA. So it is reasonable for the Lakers to consider whether Robinson is actually worth paying if he is only going to be healthy for three out of every five games, and might get fouled off the court when he is available due to poor foul shooting.
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