The Los Angeles Lakers may finally have a realistic path to landing one of their top offseason targets.
Mitchell Robinson has been linked to Los Angeles for months as the franchise searches for the defensive-minded center to pair with Luka Doncic.
Now, a new report suggests the Lakers are preparing an offer that could be difficult for the defending champion New York Knicks to match.
According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, Los Angeles is expected to pursue Robinson aggressively once free agency opens, with plans to offer the veteran center a long-term contract worth roughly the value of the NBA’s non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
If that proves accurate, the Lakers could possess a significant financial advantage.
Lakers Preparing Offer for Mitchell Robinson
GettyNew York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson battles San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama for a rebound during the 2026 NBA Finals. The veteran center has emerged as a top free-agent target for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Siegel reported Friday that Robinson remains one of the Lakers’ top priorities in free agency.
“And it shouldn’t come as a secret to anyone that the Lakers already have plans to pursue Robinson as well,” Siegel wrote.
“Early talk regarding Los Angeles is that they are prepared to offer Robinson a long-term deal that would hold an annual average value around the mid-level exception, sources said.”
That figure carries major salary-cap implications.
If the Lakers operate as an over-the-cap team while remaining below the NBA’s first apron, they would gain access to the approximately $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception, giving them the financial flexibility to make Robinson one of their marquee offseason additions.
There is, however, little room for error.
If Los Angeles exceeds the first apron, it would lose access to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception and instead be limited to the $6.1 million taxpayer mid-level exception.
Should the Lakers cross the second apron, they would lose access to a mid-level exception altogether.
In other words, preserving first-apron flexibility could become one of the organization’s biggest priorities if Robinson is indeed its preferred free-agent target.
Knicks Could Face Difficult Financial Decision
New York, meanwhile, finds itself navigating a much tighter financial landscape.
Owner James Dolan has instructed the front office to remain below the NBA’s punitive second apron, limiting president Leon Rose’s flexibility after re-signing Jose Alvarado and attempting to keep together the franchise’s championship core.
The Knicks also continue to face decisions on their unrestricted free agents, led by Robinson and Landry Shamet, while filling the remainder of the roster.
If Robinson commands a contract averaging around the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, New York may struggle to match without abandoning its current financial strategy or creating additional cap flexibility through trades.
That dynamic could give Los Angeles its clearest opening yet.
Robinson Fits What the Lakers Need
Robinson has become one of the Lakers’ most frequently discussed center targets because of his defensive profile.
When healthy, the 28-year-old ranks among the NBA’s elite offensive rebounders and rim protectors while providing the vertical spacing and lob threat that has traditionally complemented Doncic throughout his career.
The Lakers have explored numerous alternatives this offseason, including Walker Kessler, Jalen Duren, Nic Claxton, Isaiah Stewart and Myles Turner.
Each has become increasingly difficult to acquire.
Kessler remains a cornerstone in Utah.
Detroit continues to prioritize keeping Duren.
Claxton has already been traded to the Chicago Bulls.
Stewart was dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies during the NBA Draft.
NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer also reported Friday that Milwaukee is not actively engaged in moving Turner despite receiving trade interest following the Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster.
As the market continues to shrink, Robinson has emerged as one of the few attainable starting-caliber centers still available.
Durability Questions Continue to Follow Robinson
Not everyone believes Robinson is the ideal long-term solution.
ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks recently cautioned the Lakers against viewing Robinson as a full-time starting center, pointing to both his injury history and offensive limitations.
“Mitchell Robinson, who has had good moments in New York — he’s not a full-time center, he’s a rotational player,” Marks said on Get Up.
Robinson appeared in 60 regular-season games during the Knicks’ championship campaign—his highest total since 2022-23—but injuries have interrupted much of his career.
His free-throw shooting also became a target during New York’s title run as opponents repeatedly employed “Hack-a-Mitch” strategies to exploit his struggles at the foul line.
Even so, his elite rim protection, offensive rebounding and ability to finish above the rim continue to make him one of the most intriguing centers on the free-agent market.
Whether the Lakers ultimately land Robinson remains to be seen.
But if Siegel’s reporting proves accurate, Los Angeles may finally possess something it has lacked throughout much of its search for a starting center: a financial advantage.
The challenge now shifts to Lakers president Rob Pelinka.
The Lakers’ president of basketball operations must not only convince Robinson that Los Angeles is the right basketball fit alongside Doncic, but also structure the rest of the roster carefully enough to remain below the first apron—preserving the very exception that could make such an offer possible.
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