All along, Josh Hart said his preference was to remain with the Knicks long-term, and now it appears that will be a reality.
The two sides are finalizing a four-year, $81 million extension on the first day that Hart is eligible after he opted into the first year of his contract, ESPN reported. Hart confirmed the news on Twitter, posting heart emojis in orange and blue.
“Pick up that tab tonight nephew @joshhart,” teammate and close friend Jalen Brunson joked on the social media site.
In all, Hart will earn $94 million through 2027-28 season. He was a major factor for the Knicks last season after he was acquired from the Trail Blazers in exchange for Cam Reddish, Ryan Arcidiacono, Svi Mykhailiuk and a 2023 first-round pick.
The Knicks won the first nine games in which he played (they went 17-8 overall during the regular season following the deal), and Hart was a vital part of the team winning a playoff series for the first time in a decade.
By opting in, and taking less money this year, Hart helped create cap space for the Knicks to sign his college teammate, Donte DiVincenzo, with the mid-level exception.
“It was a hard decision, but New York is somewhere I wanted to be,” Hart said recently. “And we’ll get to everything else, hopefully later down the line. But opted in, New York is where I want to be. It’s where I want to call home. I feel like that was the best decision to do.”
The 6-foot-4 Hart, who will be playing for Team USA in the upcoming FIBA World Cup, was a perfect fit, immediately becoming a favorite of coach Tom Thibodeau.
He finished games right away, and endeared himself to the coaching staff and his teammates with selfless play and relentless effort.
He led Knicks rotation players with a plus-11.9 net rating, meaning they outscored the opposition by 11.9 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor.
The next closest Knick was Mitchell Robinson, at plus-7.3.
Hart was a key part of the Knicks’ strong second unit, averaging 10.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Thibodeau regularly raved about the 28-year-old, talking up his rebounding fervor and defense-first mantra.
Hart was tied for sixth among guards in rebounding percentage at 12.4.
He could find himself playing a small-ball four at times this coming season, after the Knicks traded Obi Toppin to the Pacers last month for two second-round picks.
Barring a move, they don’t have a traditional backup power forward at the moment.
“He’s an elite rebounder, but he’s a playmaker. And when I say playmaker I’m not talking about in the sense of just by the pass,” Thibodeau said of Hart during last season. “If you need great defense, you need a loose ball, you need an offensive rebound, you need a shot, whatever it is that you need, he’ll provide it. He gets big rebounds late when the game is on the line, and in traffic. And he’s all about the team and all about winning.”
Hart put his cards on the table quickly.
The Knicks were his fourth team in six NBA seasons, and he said he wanted to find a home for the foreseeable future.
He loved everything about that home being New York City, not too far from his hometown of Silver Spring, Md.
On the day the Knicks were eliminated from the playoffs, May 6 in Miami, his wife Shannon gave birth to twin boys. His new family now has stability.
The Knicks’ offseason isn’t finished, with training camp roughly six weeks away.
They are still expected to trade veteran sharpshooter Evan Fournier, who was benched most of last year and is on an expiring contract at $18.9 million.
Fournier has said on multiple occasions he doesn’t expect to return.
Then there is Immanuel Quickley, who is coming off by far his best season as a pro.
The Sixth Man of the Year runner-up is eligible for a rookie-scale extension.
If the two sides can’t come to terms — the deadline is the day before the regular season begins — Quickley would become a restricted free agent after the 2023-24 season and the Knicks would risk losing the talented two-way guard for nothing.