The New York Knicks made a big splash this offseason, but did they also make a big misstep?

The Knicks' biggest move so far has been snagging hotshot guard Jalen Brunson from the Dallas Mavericks. Other than that, this offseason in New York has been relatively “blah.”

That's not necessarily a negative thing. Truthfully, the Knicks didn't really make any ugly moves in the offseason. At the same time, not even the Brunson acquisition elevates them into contender status. Some may even say the Knicks overpaid.

Having said that, the Knicks were clever enough to secure a couple of first-round picks in addition to drafting Trevor Keels, acquiring Isaiah Hartenstein, and re-signing both Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims. On the flip side, they Kemba Walker, Alec Burks, and Nerlens Noel in a trade with the Detroit Pistons.

Knowing Knicks supporters, they probably wanted a major splash. It's something the franchise has done many times in the past. Right now, however, it was just not possible. It surely looks like the Knicks are taking it slow. They are attempting to be in playoff contention while building a positive culture and fostering the development of young players. Those young ones include R.J. Barrett, Obi Toppin, and Immanuel Quickley, among others. At best, this approach will result in the team's improvement to the point where they go from being a borderline postseason team to a bona fide contender. At worst, the Knicks have enough assets to attract superstars who may want to join such a major market.

Speaking of stars, though, there's no huge star power materializing in the Big Apple — yet. What the Knicks have done, however, was position themselves to compete for a star talent like Donovan Mitchell. The erstwhile leader of the Utah Jazz certainly has the talent to alter both the Knicks' immediate and long-term prospects. As things stand, New York's potential seems to be limited to the bottom half of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, but if they manage to land Donovan Mitchell, everything may change.

The Knicks had an okay offseason that will make them an okay team this season. Let's look at the move that arguably made the least difference for this team moving forward.

*Watch NBA Games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*

Knicks' worst move of 2022 NBA offseason

Re-signing Mitchell Robinson for $ 60M

There's a lot to like about Mitchell Robinson. For someone who was taken with the 36th overall pick, the 24-year-old Robinson has surpassed expectations. After playing solid ball in his first two seasons with the Knicks, he became a nightly double-double threat, averaging around 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game from 2020-2022. He isn't a world-beater by any stretch, but he's serviceable.

The question is this: is “serviceable” worth $60 million?

Let's keep things straight. Robinson is a high-leaping legit 7-footer. There aren't a lot of those on the planet, but the fact is he lacks offensive ball skills and a keen sense of the game. That's in contrast to new arrival Isaiah Hartenstein. The German-American big man is definitely not as athletic as Robinson, but he could actually be more effective. Keep in mind that Hartenstein is coming off a season where he shot a career-best 46.7 percent from beyond the arc. Robinson has the skill to play up to this $60M contract, but there's also a very real risk that in the long run it may seem like the Knicks overpaid.

Having said that, the Knicks had very little choice. Someone like Robinson is a valued commodity in a free agent market with a scarcity of quality bigs. And let's now forget that he was also second overall in total offensive boards last season with 295. Maybe he'll be worth every cent after all.

Speaking of being worth every cent, that's exactly what Donovan Mitchell is. Looking ahead, the Knicks need to get on top of this and quick.

The Jazz are clearly testing the market right now, but it's very probably that they'll turn to the Knicks anew for a possible Mitchell deal. The same game plan happened with the Rudy Gobert trade, and New York is motivated to pull the trigger.

They want Donovan Mitchell, and they need Donovan Mitchell. Are they, however, prepared to give up everything to get him? The Knicks have a ton of unprotected first round picks they can package along with one or two players. Will that be enough for someone like Mitchell? Let's wait and see.