The Knicks traded a first-round pick for Josh Hart at this year’s trade deadline in hopes that he would bolster their depth and round out the roster and system. They were right on all counts, to an unexpected degree, giving them all the more reason to strike a long-term deal with the swingman.
Hart has a $13 million player option next season, which he can accept and then sign an extension or deny, enter free agency, and renew a new deal. Whatever the path, the Knicks and Hart are more likely to reunite.