Leon Rose’s transactional resume with the New York Knicks is nearly spotless.

And yet, every time a move is made by the organization, fans rush to pass judgement. Look no further than the departure of Mitchell Robinson in free agency, who signed with the Boston Celtics last summer for three years and $47-million.

Fans were quick to spray criticisms through the fog and haze of championship celebration. Robinson, who secured the final rebound of the Knicks’ title run, is a one-of-one talent and will forever be a beloved member of the organization.

That much should never be debated. But by all accounts early on, it was the right move.

Robinson’s debut with Celtics

The NBA opened the season with an Eastern Conference daytime matinee between the Celtics and Detroit Pistons.

Robinson, in his debut with Boston, was underwhelming: four points, three rebounds, two blocks, an assist, and a steal in 18 minutes. He finished the game with a -8, had an ankle injury scare in the first half, and looked gassed almost all afternoon.

According to Cleaning the Glass, the Celtics were outscored by 15.4 points per 100 possessions with Robinson on the floor.

It’s the first game. And that holds precedence over anything we’re discussing this early on. But all the concerns about Robinson were well apparent in game one.

Don’t take my word for it. Robinson himself was critical of his play after the game:

“I got my ass kicked on the glass,” Robinson told the Boston Globe on October 20. “I can’t have no starts like that. It’s cool to get out there and put on that Boston jersey for the first time in a regular-season game, but overall, I still didn’t do what I needed to do. I gotta compete better. I feel like I didn’t compete at a high level that I normally do and I was kinda slow on a lot of things.”

Drummond shines in Knicks debut

Back in New York, the Knicks struggled to against LeBron James and the new-look Philadelphia 76ers, dropping the season-opener 106-100.

One of the bright spots on the night was Andre Drummond, who made his debut after signing with the team over the offseason to replace Robinson.

He recorded the third-fastest double-double in team history before finishing the night with 12 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and a steal.

Drummond might be second only to Jose Alvarado in how long it took a player to win over the entirety of Madison Square Garden. A chant of “Andre Drummond!” took over the world’s most famous arena amidst his first-half display.

He talked about how special the moment was after the game with reporters:

“It was pretty surreal,” Drummond said postgame. “Just the energy of the arena, just because of how hard I was working, how hard I was playing, just to hear it, I can’t even really explain it. I got chills. Something you live for as a player, hearing the fans be beside you.”

The second half wasn’t as kind to Drummond, who played nearly 12 minutes straight in the first due to Karl-Anthony Towns being in foul trouble.

He was clearly fatigued, and head coach Mike Brown took accountability for his use of the big fella postgame:

But if Drummond is able to sustain even 50% of his play from the first half over the course of the season, grievances over Robinson’s departure should subside.

New York is back in action on Friday night, on the road in–you guessed it–Boston. Mitchell Robinson and the Celtics will look to make it an 0-2 start for the Knicks. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm EST.