76ers Rival Knicks Keeping Young Core Intact With Latest Move

The New York Knicks are working on becoming one of the Eastern Conference’s top contenders. Last summer, the Philadelphia 76ers’ rivals added a core piece in the budding star Jalen Brunson. The addition of Brunson proved to be a success, as the former Villanova standout helped the Knicks find some success in the playoffs.

Liking what they’ve seen out of their young core, the Knicks are looking to keep that group intact for the long haul as they extend one of their other recent acquisitions.

During the 2022-2023 season, the Knicks engaged in a four-team trade, which included the Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets, and the Sixers. In the deal that involved Matisse Thybulle and Jalen McDaniels, the Knicks netted Josh Hart from the Blazers.

Hart was one of New York’s trade deadline acquisitions as they looked to make a playoff push. In 25 games, Hart came off the bench for the Knicks in all but one of those matchups. He averaged 30 minutes on the floor, knocking down 59 percent of his shots and 52 percent of his threes while averaging ten points, seven rebounds, and four assists per outing.

The 2023 NBA Playoffs were Hart’s first crack at the postseason. In the first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, which featured an upset in favor of the Knicks, Hart averaged 12 points and eight rebounds while knocking down 46 percent of his threes.

In the second-round series against the Miami Heat, which ended in six games, Hart put up nine points, seven rebounds, and three assists per game. He struggled from the field that time around, draining just 42 percent of his field goals and averaging 24 percent from beyond the arc.

Although Hart’s numbers dipped as the playoffs advanced to a deeper round, the Knicks are still confident their other former Villanova guard could be a long-term valuable asset. Therefore, they locked him up with a multi-year extension on Wednesday.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Hart landed a four-year offer worth $81 million this week. He’s expected to put pen to paper to make it official this week and will roll with the Knicks for the 2023-2024 season and beyond.

Hart’s recent deal gives him some stability after jumping teams a few times since landing in the NBA as the 30th overall pick in 2017.

After getting selected by the Utah Jazz, Hart was moved to the Los Angeles Lakers on draft night. Hart spent two seasons with LA before going to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019-2020. During his third season in New Orleans, Hart was shipped to Portland to join the Blazers. Amid his second run with the Blazers, Hart found a home in the Big Apple.