Josh Hart didn’t need much time to answer a Knicks fan worried about his offseason workload.
A picture of LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey training together made the rounds on social media Wednesday, and it quickly got New York supporters thinking about what the 2026-27 season could look like. The Philadelphia 76ers already had Joel Embiid and Maxey on the roster, then added Brown in a trade and James in free agency, giving them what looks like a loaded group heading into the year.
That was enough to prompt one Knicks fan to tell Hart to get in the gym as New York prepares to defend its title. Hart fired back in classic no-nonsense style, making it clear he’s already working.
“Brother I hate posting summer gym pics. I’m in the gym though ✊🏽,” Hart wrote on his official account on X.
With only two months left before the start of the 2026-27 regular season, the Knicks are already in the stretch run of their offseason prep. They’ll open the season against the 76ers, a matchup that only sharpens the spotlight on both teams.
New York has spent part of the offseason celebrating its June championship, but the bigger reality is simple: the Knicks are the hunted now. Every contender in the league is aiming at them, and Philadelphia suddenly looks especially dangerous.
Still, the Knicks kept their championship core intact, and they remain right in the mix among the favorites. Hart is expected to again be one of the league’s best glue guys, and New York will need that steady presence from the start if it wants to stay ahead of teams like the 76ers.
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The recent playoffs offered a potential answer, with Karl-Anthony Towns helping to shoulder more of the offensive initiation and giving Brunson more chances to work off the ball. That shift let Brunson score more from spot-ups and other off-ball situations, and it gave New York a useful blueprint for easing his burden heading into next season without needing to remake the roster. [Read more 🡒]
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Knicks Face A Deuce McBride Decision With Bigger Trade Implications
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There is some real appeal in doing it now because the right kind of deal could make McBride more valuable around the league by giving another team cost certainty. New York would still have to thread the contract details carefully, but with McBrides current market value and contract expectations, a reasonable extension appears to be on the table while leaving the bigger decision for later. [Read more 🡒]