There's optimism New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson could return late in the regular season from an ankle surgery, a significant part of the reason the NBA denied them a $7.8 million Disabled Player Exception in his absence, sources told ESPN.
The league informed the Knicks on Wednesday that they would be denying the organization's application for the DPE, largely because NBA doctors were unable to determine that Robinson would likely be out until mid-June, sources said.
Despite contrary reports, the Knicks have known of the possibility of a Robinson return and applied for the exception out of due diligence.