Speaking with reporters after Monday’s practice, New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown revealed that he is still unsure whether center Mitchell Robinson or forward Josh Hart will be available for Wednesday night’s season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Robinson and Hart both remained sidelined during practice. Hart is approaching the three-week mark since injuring his back in the preseason opener against the Philadelphia 76ers in Abu Dhabi.
However, according to Brown, Hart has improved in his rehab as he continues to deal with back spasms.
“Before, he wasn’t able to do anything. Now he’s out there, I can see him doing some stuff on the sidelines, going up and down,” Brown said of Hart.
Brown indicated that Robinson would likely be on the floor if the team’s preseason finale held regular-season stakes, suggesting his absence was more about caution than concern.
Still, Robinson has not seen action since the team’s October 9 preseason clash against the Minnesota Timbervolves, and now it looks like he may not be ready to go for the team’s regular season opener in Midtown Manhattan.
“It’s workload management,” said Brown. “We’re just managing him right now. I’ve been in different situations where you sit a guy, you manage his workload, and he does certain things, whether it’s sometimes shooting free throws, sometimes it’s watching, sometimes it’s walking through this, walking through that.
As the Knicks prepare to tip off a new era under Brown, the health of two key rotation players looms large.
Their availability, or lack thereof, will test the strength of New York’s depth right out of the gate.
