The current longest-tenured New York Knick was pivotal in ending the franchise’s 53-year championship drought. But Mitchell Robinson may not get the chance to return amid unrestricted free agency. The franchise’s billionaire owner, James Dolan, made it clear to avoid the second apron. Mike Brown’s old connection could be the savior.

Per NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, the Knicks are interested in free-agent center Kevon Looney, as the New Orleans Pelicans have recently declined the $8 million team option. Looney helped the Warriors capture three rings during their dynasty’s run. During that 10-year span, he worked with current Knicks head coach Mike Brown, who was Steve Kerr’s lead assistant in Golden State from 2016 to 2022.

The biggest hole the Knicks need to fill if Mitchell Robinson departs is rebounding. This past season, Robinson made an impact despite his limited scoring role, averaging 5.7 points and 8.8 rebounds across 60 appearances. In the decisive Game 5 victory against the San Antonio Spurs, Robinson secured 10 crucial rebounds off the bench to help seal the championship.

That’s where Looney thrived, doing the dirty work for Golden State.

The main reason the Knicks are finding it difficult to bring Mitchell Robinson back is the cap space. According to Spotrac, the Knicks are $21 million below the second apron. But it’s not enough to re-sign Robinson and Shamet and fill out the rest of their roster for next season.

They can technically afford to give Robinson about $15 million, but with rumors floating around about him likely receiving an offer in excess of $25 million per year, that might not be enough. Plus, Looney fits perfectly financially, who should be open to taking around the veteran minimum.

He’d cost a fraction of Robinson for a fraction of the ceiling, but for a team boxed in by the second apron, that trade-off is the entire point.

Suitors line up for Mitchell Robinson, and for Looney too

“There’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do. One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron,” Dolan said during an appearance on “The Carton Show” on WFAN. “I’ll write as big of a check as possible, but I can’t write a check that goes into the second apron.”

The Knicks front office was quick to follow the second-apron strategy, trading out of the first round and thus avoiding a guaranteed contract. Plus, they re-signed restricted free-agent Mohamed Diawara to a three-year deal, and veteran point guard Jose Alvarado to a three-year deal as well.

Shaving more money from the cap space puts Mitchell Robinson’s career at a crossroads.

Marc Stein already reported that the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets could be possible suitors for the veteran center. Now, even Sacramento could be in the mix if they make the required cap space maneuver.

Just like Looney has familiarity with the Knicks due to Brown, even Robinson can once again link with the Kings general manager, Scott Perry, who was part of the Knicks front office that selected Robinson in the 2018 NBA Draft.

The Knicks don’t have a clean runway on Looney, either. The Celtics have reportedly made him a target of their own, alongside former Boston center Robert Williams III, meaning New York’s coaching connection is an edge, not a lock.

Brown’s relationship with Looney may be the tiebreaker if it comes down to a near-minimum decision, but it’s a thinner advantage than the Robinson cap math makes it look.

What’s left is a Knicks front office betting that familiarity and fit can replace size and certainty and betting that James Dolan’s apron line holds, even if it costs them the player who helped them win it all.