The Knicks agreed to re-sign center Mitchell Robinson to a four-year, $60 million deal on Friday, a move that, on the surface, seems simply like a team bringing back a core player. However, there is a deeper meaning beneath.
By re-signing with New York, Robinson became the first Knicks draft pick in 23 years to earn a multi-year second contract with the team, breaking the “Charlie Ward Curse.”
New York drafted Ward in the first round of the 1994 draft, then received a multi-year contract with the team in 1999. Since then, no other player drafted by the Knicks signed more than a one-year deal with the team beyond their rookie deal.