The Hart and Soul of the Knicks: Will the Role of an Eight-Year Vet Change for New York This Season?

The 2024-2025 New York Knicks were the definition of a team that ran on heart and hustle. No other Knick embodies this more than Josh Hart. Hart is a six-foot-four shooting guard/small forward combo player. Due to injuries last season, the Knicks had him move up a position and play power forward for the majority of the season. Despite constantly having a size disadvantage, Hart finished the season averaging just short of a 13-point double-double. With the Knicks moving on from Tom Thibaudeau in favor of Mike Brown as head coach, Hart's role on the team will inevitably evolve. 

Last season, Hart’s biggest strengths were his rebounding and passing. Hart was a rebounding machine, and he racked up rebounds while being one of the smaller players in the paint. His tenacity for grabbing boards meant that the Knicks were always able to get second opportunities to score the ball. Along with Karl-Anthony Towns, who finished second in the league for rebounds per game, the Knicks had no issue making difficult shots, knowing that these two would ensure a second chance is likely. His ability as a facilitator was a main part of the Knicks' offense. While Jalen Brunson isn't a slouch when it comes to passing, under the Thibbs offense, he was often pushed to focus more on his isolation scoring. In these games, Hart took on the role of facilitator, bringing the ball up the court and running the offense through him. He’d pass off the ball and make his way to the paint to set himself up for rebounds. 

Now that Mike Brown is taking over as head coach, he has made it clear he wants to run a faster offense than the Knicks are used to. This means they'll be taking a step back from running Brunson iso-ball every position, and Brunson will be asked to take on a more traditional point guard role and focus on his facilitation abilities. Hart’s role in the offense will likely go one of two ways. The first is to move to the bench, where he’ll take charge of the secondary unit. 

The Knicks' bench is full of offensive potential. There are guys like Jordan Clarkson and Miles “Deuce” McBride to score from the mid-range and perimeter. They also have paint threats like Ariel Hukporti and Guerschon Yabusele. Hart's passing and rebounding could be the final piece to connecting the bench offense and giving the Knicks the best bench unit in the league, and he can be in the running for a Sixth Man of the Year Award. The second option for Hart is to remain in the starting lineup, and the Knicks can utilize his passing ability next to Brunson to make a fluid, high-paced offense. The Knicks' starters are all solid offensive players, and if Mike Brown can utilize Hart properly, they could finish with a top-three offense.