Mitchell Robinson is a Knicks win in every way

Part 13 of a series analyzing the New York Knicks On Feb. 9 in Atlanta, Knicks center Mitchell Robinson discussed big man Clint Capela, who had just been introduced at a press conference as the newest member of the Hawks an hour before the Knicks tipped off at State Farm Arena. When Robinson was selected …

Part 13 of a series analyzing the New York Knicks

On Feb. 9 in Atlanta, Knicks center Mitchell Robinson discussed big man Clint Capela, who had just been introduced at a press conference as the newest member of the Hawks an hour before the Knicks tipped off at State Farm Arena.

When Robinson was selected in the second round of the 2018 draft, former Knicks coach David Fizdale said Robinson had Capela potential. The comparisons have stuck, with Robinson showing a player doesn’t need a jump shot to be a force — even in the new NBA.

“I don’t really watch him,’’ Robinson said of Capela. “We do the same thing. He’s all right, but I think I’m better on defense.’’

Robinson, 22, who averaged 2.4 blocked shots last year in his rookie season, has never lacked for confidence. He also may not be wrong, with his rim protection becoming more spectacular as the season moved on.

The numbers show he is already a larger force than Capela on offense around the rim.

The Knicks returned to Atlanta on March 11 and Robinson may have finished out a record-setting season with perfection — 7 of 7 from the field for 16 points. It raised his field-goal percentage to 74.2 percent.

If there are no more games this season because of the coronavirus pandemic, Robinson will break Wilt Chamberlain’s field goal percentage record of 72.7 — set in 1972-73 when the Knicks beat Chamberlain’s Lakers for their most recent championship.

The consensus around the league is that, for all the negativity surrounding James Dolan’s franchise, the Knicks at least have cap space, all their draft picks and two definite building blocks in Robinson, a second-round pick, and 2019 No. 3-overall selection RJ Barrett. Robinson being passed over for the Rising Stars Challenge at this year’s All-Star Weekend could turn out to be the worst snub in that event’s history.

“I think Mitchell can end up being one of the best centers over the next 10 years,’’ Fizdale said on the radio last month.

The Knicks would never trade Robinson the way the Rockets dealt Capela. Robinson is leading the league in alley-oops by far. He has made 88 total in 100 attempts. The second-closest is, yes, Capela with 66.

“Now Mitchell has to win,’’ Fizdale told The Post recently. “Capela has won a lot of games.’’

Robinson, who has been holed up in his hometown of New Orleans, also has to develop a mid-range jumper. Before each game, Robinson was on the court with assistant coach Pat Sullivan, launching perimeter shots from all angles. He refused, however, to launch once tip-off occurred despite defenders laying off.

That hasn’t prevented the Knicks from being a better club when Robinson is on the floor — and it’s not close. The Knicks’ net rating improves by 5.3 points per 100 possessions with Robinson on the court — improving both offensively and defensively.

Interim coach Mike Miller didn’t want to mess with a role at which Robinson became comfortable. Hence, Miller kept him as a reserve despite temptations to move him into the starting lineup when the 7-foot center’s game took off from February on.

The advanced metrics are superb. Robinson ranks 16th in the NBA in Player Efficiency Rating, which sums up a player’s positive accomplishments and subtracts negative accomplishments to offer a per-minute performance evaluation.

While he only took three jump shots this season, Robinson led the NBA for bench players in offensive rebounds (3.0 per game). He also rebounded 31 percent of the team’s missed shots at the rim when on the court (13th best in the NBA).

“I think he’s going to have a great NBA career,’’ former Knicks coach Rick Pitino told The Post’s Steve Serby in a recent Q & A. “I’ve watched him play about five games, I don’t know his attitude, I don’t know his work ethic, but his ability is there, and I like what I see.”

The only confounding stat is that Robinson is on his fifth agent — possibly an NBA record for a second-year player.

In February, Robinson fired his young rep, Mayar Zokaei, and hired LeBron James’ and Anthony Davis’ superagent, Rich Paul.

Robinson, however, is locked in for the next two years at a $1.6 million for 2020-21 and $1.8 million for 2021-22 — a team option. It’s unclear what Paul can do about it.

For a guy who will become the first NBA player to average 2-plus blocks and shoot 60 percent in each of his first two seasons, it’s probably the league’s most team-friendly contract.