The New York Knicks were involved in a ton of rumors leading up to the NBA trade deadline last week. They were linked to blockbuster trades centered around Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls and OG Anunoby of the Toronto Raptors. Ultimately, however, they ended up only making one trade.
The Knicks acquired Josh Hart from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Cam Reddish and a protected 2023 first-round pick. The deal was expanded to a four-team deal that also included the Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers, melding two separate deals into one.
Some people questioned the deal for the Knicks believing that they parted ways with too much to land Hart. Reddish still has plenty of believers around the league and a first-round pick was considered steep. But, with how the season is trending, that first-rounder from the Knicks could be outside of the lottery and if it happens to land in the lottery, they turn into second-rounders.
Anyone that doubted the impact that Hart could have on this team has quickly been proven wrong. In his first two games with the Knicks, the Villanova product has looked right at home, sharing the court with his collegiate teammate Jalen Brunson.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Josh Hart & New York Knicks Updates
Hart has been everything that the Knicks had hoped for and more. He has built a reputation for being the perfect glue guy, capable of doing everything well on the court even if he doesn’t have one elite skill. That is exactly what New York needed; someone to bring everything together.
In his debut against the Utah Jazz, Hart was active on both ends of the court. He stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals in 26 minutes. Against the Brooklyn Nets in Game 2, he was even better.
Hart was an integral part of the Knicks snapping their nine-game losing streak to their crosstown rivals. He was aggressive offensively all night, pouring in a season-high 27 points. His stat line was rounded out with four rebounds, two assists and one steal.
While the effort and energy level are infectious and the fans love to see it, the most impressive thing about Hart’s start to his Knicks tenure is the shooting. He has made 6-of-9 3-point attempts and 13-of-20 overall.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Josh Hart & New York Knicks Updates
His comfort level within the Knicks’ system is already very high, which head coach Tom Thibodeau deserves a lot of credit for. Thibodeau has given Hart confidence to let it fly when he has the opportunity to shoot the ball.
Hart is the quintessential Thibodeau player. When doing create-a-player in NBA 2K, Thibodeau’s ideal outcome would be someone similar to Hart. He has provided the rotation with a presence they were missing as another two-way wing, providing insurance off the bench behind RJ Barrett and Quentin Grimes.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Josh Hart & New York Knicks Updates
Only a half-game behind the Miami Heat for 6th place in the Eastern Conference and two games behind the Nets for 5th, there is still plenty of work to do. The addition of Hart is only going to help the Knicks push further up the Eastern Conference standings and hopefully into a spot outside of the Play-In Tournament.
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