Josh Hart is now eligible for a contract extension with the Knicks that could reach four years and $131.2 million, but that ceiling feels more like a placeholder than a real target.
The bigger question in New York is what Hart’s next deal actually looks like - and whether the Knicks can keep it low enough to stay clear of the second apron. Right now, they project to be within $8 million of James Dolan’s no-fly zone in 2027-28, and that number already includes Hart’s team option. It does not include a new deal for Deuce McBride or the cost of filling out the final four to five roster spots.
That’s why the front office would almost certainly prefer to work out an extension that cuts Hart’s 2027-28 salary well below his current $22.4 million club option. It’s the sensible path. The problem is that recent contracts around the league suggest the price tag may not come down the way the Knicks want.
Two fresh deals - one for Dillon Brooks and one for Naji Marshall - offer a rough window into the market for wings in Hart’s lane. Marshall just landed a three-year, $51.9 million extension with the Mavericks, a pact that tops out at $18.2 million in 2027-28. Brooks went even bigger with the Suns, signing for three years and $73 million, with salaries of $22.5 million, $24.3 million and $26.1 million once the extension begins in 2027-28.
Hart doesn’t cleanly match either player, but the comparison is close enough to matter. Like Brooks and Marshall, he’s a combo wing with a shaky jumper who still brings real value through defense and connective offense. And if anything, Hart has a strong case to be valued higher.
Brooks may be the cleaner pure scorer, but Hart rebounds better and passes better. Marshall has more downhill scoring variety, but Hart is the more willing three-point shooter, the more versatile playmaker and the more portable defender.
On top of that, Brooks’ deal should be especially relevant to the Knicks because it runs through his age-34 season and pays him more than Hart’s current 2027-28 option. Hart could reasonably look at that number and want something in the same neighborhood, especially after beating Brooks in xRAPM last season and owning a three-year RAPM edge.
There’s still a scenario where Hart gives New York some help. The Knicks have already gotten that kind of treatment from other players: Jalen Brunson took a team-friendly route on his current deal, Mikal Bridges signed for less than his max last summer, and Landry Shamet also accepted a below-market contract this past July.
Hart has done his part for the Knicks before, too. He exercised his player option and then extended off that number in 2023, which gave the team extra flexibility and helped them land Donte DiVincenzo.
But this time, the Knicks may be asking for more than they can reasonably expect. Hart might decide he wants every dollar he can get. If he does, New York could be looking at the reality that this is probably his last contract with the team.
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