Josh Hart‘s impact with the Knicks this past season was immeasurable.
After being acquired in a midseason deal with the Portland Trailblazers, Hart scored 10.2 points and added 7.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 25 regular season games, and upped his scoring to 10.4 points per game in the playoffs. But Hart was more than just his stats, as he added a level of energy and hustle to a team that was already known for its defensive intensity.
Hart has a player option for next season, and while reports have indicated that he would likely decline that option and test free agency, Hart confirmed that to be the case in a recent interview with Taylor Rooks.
But just because he’s going to test the open market, don’t count out Hart returning to the Knicks. Hart told Rooks that New York is an “ideal place” for him to re-sign.
“We’ll probably decline (the option) and do the free agency time,” the 28-year-old said. “My first free agency, I was restricted, and it was ass. I kind of actually cried a little bit. It took like three weeks to get it done. I was like ‘Damn, do people want me in the league?’
“I don’t think this free agency will go that way. I love New York. I love the team. I love the coaching staff, the front office that we have, we have young guys, draft picks, all those sorts of things. I mean, obviously that would be an ideal place for me to just re-sign there and do that. Everything’s perfect on the court, off the court, with family being close to home and all those kinds of things. So, fingers crossed that when free agency starts, I’ll say a deal will get done hopefully in the first day or two. I would love for that to be home.”
Hart was primarily a piece off the bench for the Knicks, as he started just once in 25 regular season games. But due to injuries in the postseason, Hart ended up starting five of the Knicks’ 11 playoff games.
Declining his player option, Hart is turning down $13 million for next season. But as an unrestricted free agent, Hart, a Villanova product, is projected to make somewhere around $15-18 million annually on a multiyear deal.