No matter what Jalen Brunson has to say about it, it's impossible to describe the New York Knicks' culture over the past several seasons without mentioning Josh Hart. The seemingly-indefatigable Villanova product is a positionless wonder of an athlete, bringing enough of a motor to the table to be out-rebounding opposing big men as a 6-foot-5 wing.
Hart is signed through the upcoming season, and New York has a player option for 2027-28. When asked by Yahoo! Sports about a potential extension, he said simply that he's eligible for one — and would like to sign one, too.
"I've always said New York is a home to me, and they've given me some of my best years of my career. It's definitely a place I want to stay at," Hart explained.
That makes an easy decision for Leon Rose's front office just a little bit easier. Finding a number that'll keep Hart around for years to come will be a good move for all parties involved.
Hart's versatility came in clutch during 2026 Eastern Conference Finals
Hart does a little bit of everything for New York. He steps up defensively when needed, picking up the CJ McCollum assignment in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks to help the Knicks turn the series around.
He'll tell you himself that he gets "rebounds that break teams," something he told former Knick Mitchell Robinson during New York's 2023 playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He steps up as a scorer, too. Hart may have shown that best against the Cavaliers, three years later, during the Knicks' 2026 NBA Championship run. Jalen Brunson infamously sliced and diced James Harden up in Game 1 to help complete their 22-point comeback. That left Kenny Atkinson's Cavs adjusting majorly ahead of Game 2, deciding to make any other Knick besides Brunson beat them.
Hart tallied 26 points and seven assists, including a 12-point third quarter scoring explosion that helped New York stay ahead of their Eastern Conference Finals opponent. Brunson shined as a playmaker. And they didn't need Hart to score that much for the rest of the postseason; Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and even OG Anunoby got that job done themselves.
Hart's ability to make defenses respect him, though, is integral to the rest of Mike Brown's offensive weapons facing coverages they can exploit.
Hart is the momentum that keeps the Knicks' solar system in orbit
Brunson and Towns are always going to be the centers of the Knicks' offense, acting as by far and away the two largest planets in their metaphorical solar system. Players like Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Miles McBride serve as excellent complements to those cornerstones, finishing plays and bringing elite defense to the table.
Hart, though, is the guy that keeps everything pushing. He fills whatever gaps present themselves, with his versatility allowing Brown to ensure that defensive weapons such as Bridges and Anunoby are able to contribute as team defenders, off the ball, as much as they do as individual on-ball stoppers.
The Knicks didn't need to send Bridges after McCollum for the entirety of the first round; Hart taking that job allowed the wing to focus on neutralizing the Most Improved Player in Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
For New York, finding a number that works to keep Hart around was always a foregone conclusion. The team's NBA Championship run set that in stone. Now, it just comes down to brass tacks — and Towns signing his own extension. But Hart was quick to joke, in his interview, that any questions regarding figures would need to be directed to his agents.
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