Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson (ankle) might not be back until after All-Star break

NEW YORK — It doesn’t sound like Mitchell Robinson will make his season debut before the Feb. 6 NBA trade seadline — and judging by head coach Tom Thibodeau’s pregame comments on Wednesday, there’s no urgency to rush the Knicks’ defensive anchor back before, or immediately after, the All-Star break, either.

Robinson, recovering from two surgeries to repair repeat stress fractures in his left ankle, hasn’t played since Game 1 of the Knicks’ second-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on May 6. His initial return timeline of December-January is now all but out the window.

Thibodeau offered an encouraging update, revealing that Robinson has progressed to sprinting. However, he emphasized that the shot-blocking big man still has several key benchmarks to clear before making his long-awaited return to the court.

“He’s running, jumping — doing all that stuff. He hasn’t had contact yet, and that’s really the next step for him,” Thibodeau said ahead of tipoff against the Denver Nuggets. “There’s some contact, but it’s very controlled.”

Which means Robinson is still in the early stages of on-court work.

Before he can rejoin the rotation, he’ll need to progress through the typical recovery ladder: individual drills, light contact, then 1-on-1, 2-on-2, and eventually 5-on-5 drills and scrimmages. With the trade deadline less than 10 days away, the Knicks won’t get a chance to evaluate how he fits alongside their retooled roster before then.

Thibodeau emphasized patience, maintaining that the team won’t deviate from its cautious approach.

“Look, he’s doing really well. I’m trusting the medical people. When he’s cleared, he’s cleared,” Thibodeau said. “We’re not gonna rush it. We’re gonna be patient. Whether it’s this week, next week, the week after — wherever it falls, it falls. But we want him completely healthy before we put him back out there.”

The reality? Robinson’s return before the Feb. 12 matchup against the Atlanta Hawks — the final game before the All-Star break — seems unlikely.

Even after the break, the Knicks could hold him out of the Chicago-Cleveland back-to-back on Feb. 20-21, and they could punt on the Feb. 23 showdown in Boston against the Celtics, too.

That would leave little time to evaluate Robinson’s chemistry with new cornerstone pieces Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges. Even his minutes with OG Anunoby have been limited — the two only shared the court in six regular-season games together last season.

The fit, however, is easy to project.

Towns thrived next to Rudy Gobert in Minnesota, and Robinson provides a similar rim-protecting presence while dominating the offensive glass. His established chemistry with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart should help ease the transition.

Still, reintegrating Robinson won’t be seamless, and his role will be limited at first.

“Obviously, we’re almost 50 games into the season, so we have a set rotation. We know there’s going to be an adjustment period,” Thibodeau said. “That’s what I love about Mitch — he’s always been this way, whether he’s starting or coming off the bench.”

For now, Robinson will be coming off the bench and playing reduced minutes as the Knicks manage his workload.

“Obviously, he’s not going to be playing starter’s minutes. He’s got to get acclimated to playing again,” Thibodeau said. “So whatever medical says, how he feels — there will be a ramp-up, and we’ll go from there. We’re excited for whenever he does come back.”

Robinson has career averages of 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game, but before his injury last season, he had emerged as the NBA’s premier offensive rebounder.

Until he returns, the Knicks will continue relying on Jericho Sims, rookie Ariel Hukporti, and a mix of Precious Achiuwa at the backup five.

But the rim protection, rebounding, and lob threat Robinson brings?

That’s something no one else on the roster can replicate.

Now, it’s just a matter of waiting.

For the Knicks, the wait continues, though Robinson’s progress suggests a return could be on the horizon.