The New York Knicks’ lone move ahead of the trade deadline was bringing in Josh Hart, who has a $12.96 million player option for the 2023-24 season. If he opts out of it in favor of a larger contract, he’ll enter free agency.
After sending a lottery-protected first-round pick to Portland for Hart, there’s a chance that he could go elsewhere over the summer. Damian Lillard, Hart’s former teammate, said that he expects Hart to opt out of his option.
"“Josh is a really good player so you have to know that he has an option, and he’s probably going to opt out of the deal that he has now,” Damian Lillard said, “and you have to assume he’s going to be wanted in the open market."
Fans might be wondering why the Knicks traded for a player like Hart when there’s a possibility that he won’t be around past the end of the season, but the guard feels strongly about making New York City his home.
Josh Hart hopes to receive a long-term deal from Knicks in offseason
Josh Hart, who has already won over the hearts of the fan base, wants to be with the Knicks long-term.
"“That’s something I definitely want to do,” Hart, acquired at the trade deadline from the Trail Blazers, said on Thursday after practice. “I want a home. I want to find a home. This is a place where I would love that home to be. On the court, there are so many things that align with my principles as a player and off the court just being around with friends and close to family. This would be an amazing spot. Hopefully they feel the same.“It’s a perfect situation for me on and off the court.”"
The 27-year-old is on his fourth team after entering the league in 2017. Hart’s been sent to a new team the past two trade deadlines. He was part of the CJ McCollum Blazers-Pelicans trade in 2022 and found himself on the move again in 2023.
He seems to have found a perfect situation in New York. He’s the embodiment of what it means to be a Tom Thibodeau type player and he gets to play alongside his former Villanova teammate Jalen Brunson. The Knicks point guard is signed with the team through the 2024-25 season before having a player option in 2025-26. After winning a national championship together in college, Brunson and Hart could spend a few seasons together propelling New York back to relevancy.
Good news, Josh. We think that the front office feels the same way about you that you do about them. If not, you likely wouldn’t be a Knick right now. Before we start talking numbers, though, let’s make some noise in the remainder of the 2022-23 season.
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