A new report just opened the door to an unexpected reunion between the New York Knicks and Mitchell Robinson later this season.

This was a productive offseason for the Knicks, for the most part. While they celebrated the franchise’s first championship in over five decades, the front office was able to agree to new deals with Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado, and Jordan Clarkson to keep their championship team intact. However, there was one notable departure in the summer.

With Knicks owner James Dolan unwilling to go over the second salary tax apron, New York lost the fan-favorite big man to rivals, the Boston Celtics, in free agency. While his numbers have never jumped off the page, supporters of the team knew how valuable he was in their journey to being champions. Most assumed the Celtics understood that as well, and that is why they gave him a three-year deal worth $47.3 million.

However, Robinson has not made quite the impact some expected in Boston, as Heavy’s Sean Deveney perfectly explained on Wednesday.

“It’s been a rough start in Boston for new Celtics center Mitchell Robinson, whose offensive rebounding superpower has been removed from his arsenal as the Celtics have tried to allow him to showcase a wider offensive range,” he wrote. “As coach Joe Mazzulla noted, that means Robinson is farther from the basket, and in the process, he has gone from a guy who averaged 4.2 offensive rebounds last year to 1.8 this year.”

A New York Knicks and Mitchell Robinson reunion in January may be a real possibility

Robinson is, arguably, the best offensive rebounder on the planet. It is a special skill not every big man has. But if he is not dominating on the offensive glass, he does not have the same value. It is why the NBA insider speculated, “If this looks to be a bad fit when late January comes around, it is fair to wonder whether the Celtics might get Robinson onto the [trade] market sooner rather than later.”

While there will surely be others interested in Robinson’s unique skill set, no team knows him better, or how best to use him, than the Knicks. If New York continues to have their struggles offensively, especially on the offensive boards, the front office would be silly not to check in about a potential trade. Yes, a deal might take them over the second apron, but they can figure out how to get back under — a contract extension with Karl-Anthony Towns, perhaps — in the offseason.

Furthermore, while some teams may think the Celtics would be against trading Robinson back to the Knicks, let’s not forget, this is the same team that traded Jaylen Brown to the same team that eliminated them in the playoffs this spring. If the Knicks make the best offer, they will make the deal.

In the end, Mazzulla is a very smart coach, and he may adjust things to get the most out of Robinson. However, despite high hopes, he may just be a square peg in a round hole for the Celtics.