New York Knicks fans found out during media day interviews on Tuesday that Josh Hart re-aggravated his finger injury over the summer. Now, the expectation is that he will have to play with a splint in the upcoming season, which would be far from the greatest situation for he or the Knicks.
Fans likely remember this being the injury that Hart suffered to his right ring finger during last season's playoffs. Over the summer, in July, he had it operated on. But sometime between then and now, he apparently incurred some type of re-injury to it.
This is concerning for a few reasons, the first of which being Hart's already questionable shooting from long-range. That was already an area of his game that was under scrutiny, given that he doesn't shoot a ton of threes, and his efficiency has been inconsistent.
That's going to have the potential to negatively impact New York's offensive identity this season. The Knicks' new system under Mike Brown was never going to heavily rely on Hart as a hugely impactful floor-spacer due to his percentages, but if defenses know Hart is limited, they'll have the luxury of being able to sag off him that much more.
Josh Hart reaggravated a finger injury recently that he had a procedure for over the summer and believes he'll have to wear a splint this season pic.twitter.com/mFJcp7AKq6
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) September 23, 2025
Josh Hart's re-injury could have major implications on the Knicks' season
It's also difficult news to get due to the way Hart has been the lifeline of this Knicks team at times. Sure, there have been discussions among the fanbase about potentially trading him, but Josh played a ton of minutes last season and saw high usage at times.
If Hart ends up being hobbled by this repeat injury, it's very possible New York's coaching staff won't have any choice but to place a heavier load on others and re-adjust rotations. On the other hand, if they do go the route of trading him, they'll have less leverage in dealing a player other teams might see as compromised.
The timing of this news is certainly rough. You're about to head into training camp, and it's a time where rhythm and confidence and matter a lot. It's not exactly ideal. This means Hart won't come into the season healthy, and that's never a good omen.
Overall, it's easy to see a world where this injury messes with Hart's overall output and diminishes his role as the Knicks' glue guy. There's a lot of lingering questions about what specific adjustments will need to be made. If Hart’s finger remains compromised, New York may be forced to find new ways to keep their offense flowing while hoping one of their most reliable guys can still deliver through the pain.