The Boston Celtics’ offseason started much sooner than anyone could have anticipated. And it started with a nightmare.
A 3-1 series lead. A chance to eliminate their rivals, the Philadelphia 76ers. A path to the Eastern Conference Finals that looked wide open.
And then? Collapse.
Joel Embiid returned. The Sixers roared back. And the Celtics went home in the first round, stunned, embarrassed, and staring at an offseason full of uncomfortable questions.
What happens with Jaylen Brown? How do they fix a frontcourt that had no answers for a slowed-down, oft-injured Embiid? Who do they add to a roster that went 3-11 against the league’s elite?
One name that should be at the top of Brad Stevens’ list: Mitchell Robinson.
According to Zack Cox of the Boston Herald, the 7-foot-1, 28-year-old center is an ideal option to help the Celtics cover some of their glaring weaknesses in the frontcourt.
Let me break down why Robinson makes sense, what he would bring to Boston, and why this could be the most impactful signing of the Celtics’ offseason.
The Embiid Nightmare: What We Learned About Boston’s Frontcourt
Let me start with the painful truth.
The Celtics built a 3-1 lead against the Sixers. They were one win away from advancing. Then Joel Embiid — a version of Joel Embiid who was clearly not 100% healthy — completely took over the series.
Boston had no answers.
Not for his size. Not for his physicality. Not for his ability to draw fouls and get to the line.
Neemias Queta tried. He was overmatched.
Al Horford is gone. Kristaps Porzingis is always injured. Robert Williams III was traded years ago.
The Celtics’ frontcourt is shaky. That’s not an opinion. That’s a fact.
Brad Stevens admitted as much in his end-of-season press conference:
*“We did a lot of good things, we lost in the first round. And we’re also 3-11 against the top three seeds in the West and the other top two in the East. And so, we’ve got to get better.”*
Three and eleven. That’s not a contender. That’s a team that beats up on bad teams and gets exposed by good ones.
The Celtics need size. They need toughness. They need a big man who can body up against the Embiids, Giannises, and Jokics of the world.
They need Mitchell Robinson.
Who Is Mitchell Robinson? A Scouting Report
Let me give you the full picture.
Mitchell Robinson is a 7-foot-1, 240-pound center who has spent his entire career with the New York Knicks. He’s 28 years old — squarely in his prime. He’s a free agent this offseason.
His offensive game is limited. That’s being kind. More than 90% of his career field-goal attempts have come within three feet of the basket. He’s a notoriously terrible free-throw shooter (career 53%). He’s not going to post you up or step out and hit a three.
But here’s the thing: the Celtics don’t need a scoring center. They have Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and (presumably) a healthy backcourt. They need someone to do the dirty work.
What Robinson does well:
Offensive rebounding. Robinson ranked in the 100th percentile among big men in offensive rebounding percentage this season, per Cleaning the Glass. That’s not a typo. 100th percentile. He is the best offensive rebounder in the league at his position. He creates second-chance points. He extends possessions. He punishes defenders who fall asleep.
Blocking shots. Robinson ranked in the 87th percentile in block percentage. He’s a legitimate rim protector. He alters shots even when he doesn’t block them. He makes drivers think twice.
Steals. This is a hidden skill. Robinson ranked in the 95th percentile in steal percentage among big men. He has quick hands. He anticipates passes. He starts fast breaks.
Durability concerns? Robinson has missed time in the past, but he played 78 games last season. That’s almost a full season. He was available.
What Robinson doesn’t do well:
Scoring. He’s not a threat. Defenses will sag off him. He’s limited to dunks, put-backs, and the occasional hook shot.
Free throws. He’s a hack-a-Shaq candidate in close games. The Celtics would have to manage his minutes in crunch time.
Spacing. He doesn’t stretch the floor. He’s most effective in the dunker spot, not on the perimeter.
The Cox Analysis: Why Robinson Fits Boston
Let me bring in the expert perspective.
Zack Cox of the Boston Herald laid out the case perfectly:
*“The scope of Robinson’s skill set is limited — more than 90% of his career field-goal attempts have come inside three feet, and he’s a notoriously terrible free-throw shooter — but what he does well, he does very well. Listed at 7-foot-1, he’s a monster on the offensive glass and a top-tier interior defender.”*
Cox then dropped the numbers that matter most:
“This season, Robinson ranked in the 87th percentile among big men in block percentage, the 95th percentile in steal percentage and the 100th percentile in offensive rebounding percentage, per Cleaning the Glass.”
Let me translate that.
When Robinson is on the floor, the Celtics would be elite in three specific areas: blocking shots, getting steals, and crashing the offensive glass.
Those are three areas where Boston struggled last season. They weren’t terrible, but they weren’t championship-caliber. Robinson would immediately upgrade all of them.
The Financials: What Would Robinson Cost?
Let me get into the money.
Robinson is a free agent. He’s not a max player. He’s not even close. But he’s also not a minimum-salary guy.
Projected market value: Somewhere in the $10-15 million per year range. That’s the non-taxpayer mid-level exception territory.
The Celtics have the non-taxpayer MLE available. That’s roughly 15millionperyear.TheycouldofferRobinsonathree−year,15millionperyear.TheycouldofferRobinsonathree−year,45 million deal.
Would that be enough to sign him? Maybe. Other teams with cap space — the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Detroit Pistons, the San Antonio Spurs — could offer more.
But Robinson has never been about the money. He’s about fit. And Boston is a perfect fit.
The Current Big Man Rotation: Who Stays, Who Goes?
Let me break down the Celtics’ current frontcourt situation.
Neemias Queta: Has a team option for next season. He’s cheap, but he got exposed in the playoffs. He’s a backup at best.
Luka Garza: One year left on his contract. He’s a solid shooter and offensive rebounder, but he struggles defensively. He’s a situational player.
Nikola Vucevic: Impending free agent. He was a healthy DNP in Game 7 against the Sixers. That tells you everything you need to know about how the coaching staff feels about him. He’s almost certainly gone.
Luke Kornet: Serviceable backup, but not a starter.
The Celtics have money coming off the books. They have roster spots to fill. They have a clear need for a starting-caliber center.
Robinson would immediately become the best center on the roster. Not because he’s a star — he’s not — but because he fills a specific role that no one else can.
The Fit Next to Tatum and Brown
Let me talk about how Robinson would fit into the Celtics’ offense.
Boston’s offense runs through Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. They’re both downhill players who thrive on driving to the rim, drawing defenders, and kicking out to shooters.
Robinson doesn’t need the ball. He doesn’t need post touches. He doesn’t need isolations.
What he does is simple: he sets hard screens, rolls to the rim, and crashes the offensive glass.
When Tatum drives, Robinson’s defender has to choose: help on Tatum or stay with Robinson. If he helps, Tatum dumps it off to Robinson for a dunk. If he stays, Tatum has a clear path to the rim.
That’s the beauty of Robinson. He doesn’t need plays called for him. He just needs to be in the right place.
The Brad Stevens Factor: He Won’t Sit Still
Let me remind you who is running the Celtics.
Brad Stevens is not a patient man. He’s not a “run it back” executive. He’s constantly looking for upgrades, constantly tinkering, constantly trying to get better.
He proved it when he traded for Derrick White. He proved it when he traded for Jrue Holiday. He proved it when he moved on from Marcus Smart.
If Stevens believes the Celtics need a center, he will get a center.
And his end-of-season comments suggest he believes exactly that.
*“There’s no question what we want. We did a lot of good things, we lost in the first round. And we’re also 3-11 against the top three seeds in the West and the other top two in the East. And so, we’ve got to get better.”*
Three and eleven. That’s the number. That’s the mandate.
Stevens knows that beating up on bad teams doesn’t matter if you can’t beat the good ones. And you can’t beat the good ones without size, toughness, and rim protection.
Mitchell Robinson provides all three.
The Jaylen Brown Question: How It Connects
Let me briefly address the elephant in the room.
There are rumors floating around about Jaylen Brown’s future with the Celtics. Is he looking to move on? Does he want a change of scenery?
I’m not going to speculate on that here. But here’s what I will say: whether Brown stays or goes, the Celtics still need a center.
If Brown stays, the Celtics are in win-now mode. They need a center who can help them compete immediately. That’s Robinson.
If Brown goes, the Celtics are in retool mode. They still need a center, but they might prioritize a younger, cheaper option. Robinson is 28 — he fits either timeline.
The Brown situation is a story for another day. The center situation is urgent.
The Competition: Who Else Wants Robinson?
Let me mention that the Celtics aren’t alone.
Robinson will have suitors. The Knicks might want him back. The Thunder need a center. The Spurs could use a veteran big man.
But here’s what the Celtics can offer that other teams can’t: a clear path to a championship.
Robinson has been in New York for years. He’s made the playoffs, but he’s never been to the Finals. He’s never had a real chance at a ring.
In Boston, he would. The Celtics are one piece away. Robinson could be that piece.
Final Verdict: Sign Mitchell Robinson
Here’s my honest take.
The Boston Celtics should sign Mitchell Robinson this offseason. Not as a savior. Not as a superstar. As a role player who does one thing exceptionally well: protecting the rim, crashing the glass, and doing the dirty work.
The Celtics don’t need a center who can score 20 points per game. They need a center who can body up against Joel Embiid, grab 10 rebounds, block a few shots, and make his free throws just well enough to stay on the court in crunch time.
Mitchell Robinson is that player.
His flaws are real. He can’t shoot. He can’t space the floor. He’s a hack-a-Shaq candidate.
But his strengths are exactly what the Celtics need. And in the right role, with the right coach, he could be the missing piece.
Brad Stevens has made savvy moves before. He knows when to buy low on a player whose value is depressed.
Robinson’s value is depressed because of his limitations. But those limitations don’t matter in Boston. The Celtics don’t need him to score. They need him to do everything else.
One thing’s certain: The Celtics are going to add a center this offseason. And Mitchell Robinson should be at the top of their list.