After winning a championship with the Knicks this spring, free agent center Mitchell Robinson is leaving New York for Boston. Shams Charania of ESPN reports (via Twitter) that Robinson and the Celtics have agreed to terms on a three-year, $47.4MM deal that will include a third-year player option.
Boston will use its full non-taxpayer mid-level exception to take Robinson away from its division rival, leaving the Celtics hard capped at the first apron, according to Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Twitter link). The deal can’t be structured as a sign-and-trade with New York because of Robinson’s third-year option, Gozlan adds.
The Knicks had the financial resources to offer Robinson the same deal or even a little more, but that would have meant spending into the second apron. Owner James Dolan has been steadfast in his refusal to take the team into second-apron territory and deal with the restrictions that involves.
More to come…
