Mitchell Robinson wanted to remain with the New York Knicks rather than join the Boston Celtics, according to an online response he shared with a now-former teammate.
When news of Robinson’s three-year, $47.4 million agreement hit Instagram, Knicks forward OG Anunoby reacted with a frowning emoji, which prompted a heartfelt response from Boston’s new big man.
‘I tried brother I didn’t want this to happen,’ Robinson responded to Anunoby’s emoji. ‘Hopefully the truth comes out at some point.’
Robinson added a few words of encouragement (‘Keep being great’), but the focus among fans was on the first portion of his message.
‘Dolan is such a cheapskate,’ one fan wrote on Instagram, referring to Knicks owner James Dolan. ‘[Robinson wanted] to work it out but Dolan tied everyone’s hands in the deal.’
Dolan is relinquishing control of Madison Square Garden, the NBA-champion Knicks and the NHL’s New York Rangers to his son, Quentin, as the team announced Friday. But prior to that decision, the 71-year-old son of Cablevision founder Charles Dolan made it clear that the Knicks would not incur added NBA luxury taxes in order to re-sign Robinson.
Mitchell Robinson wanted to remain with the New York Knicks rather than join the Boston Celtics , according to an online response he shared with a now-former teammate
Mitchell Robinson rides in a hometown community parade honoring him as a member of the NBA champion New York Knicks on June 25. He has since agreed to join the rival Celtics
Robinson shows his appreciation to Knicks fans in New York during the team’s parade
‘We cannot go into the second apron,’ Dolan said on WFAN radio in New York this week, indicating his desire to see the team keep its payroll below $222 million for the upcoming season.
In addition to the NBA’s soft salary cap, which is set at $165 million for next season and permits a number of exceptions, the league also has a highly punitive luxury tax structure that comes with additional tiers or aprons.
So, when teams exceed the soft salary cap and move beyond the $201 million luxury tax threshold, they can also face increasing penalties for spending above $209 million (first apron) or $222 million (second apron).
Only a handful of NBA teams have ever gone into the second apron, which limits both free-agent opportunities and trades. There is also a dreaded ‘repeater’ tax penalizing teams for remaining above the luxury tax threshold for consecutive seasons.
Some fans were sympathetic about the Knicks’ position on the subject.
‘Y’all need to look up the rules of the second apron,’ one fan wrote on Instagram. ‘It’s not something you wanna do as a team it makes no sense to do it.’
OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson are pictured with the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy
Dolan vowed to keep the Knicks out of the second apron to avoid massive luxury-tax issues
Others attacked Robinson’s offensive deficiencies.
While he ranks among the game’s best post defenders, Robinson made less than 41 percent of his free throws in 2025-26, allowing opponents to foul him with minimal consequences. As a result, he’d often find himself on coach Mike Brown’s bench in critical situations.
‘The truth is they didn’t want to overpay for a guy that is only a threat on one side of the ball and I don’t blame the Knicks for their decision,’ another fan added. ‘He will be missed but he’s the one that wanted the payday not like [captain Jalen Brunson] who turned down millions to stay in NY.’
Brunson’s decision to sign for $113 million less than a full max contract extension in 2024 helped the Knicks end their 53-year title drought with last month’s NBA Finals win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Robinson is now joining a Celtics team that has agreed to re-sign another center, Neemias Queta, to a four-year, $56 million extension.
But Boston will be without 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, who was sent to the rival Philadelphia 76ers in a controversial trade that returned just two future first-round picks and two second rounders, as well as 36-year-old Paul George.
Meanwhile, the Knicks are still looking for a defensive-minded backup center who can step in for Karl-Anthony Towns.
