The Knicks may be heading into next season with a frontcourt setup that feels a little too thin for comfort, and that’s where Josh Hart enters the picture.
At the moment, New York appears to have Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond as its only centers on the roster. Last season, Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti were there to back up Towns, but that depth is gone now. If the Knicks don’t add another big, they’ll likely have to lean on small-ball looks just to keep mileage down on Towns and keep him fresh for the playoffs.
That’s also why Towns may need to start passing along some center know-how to Hart. If New York is really stuck with this setup, Hart could wind up being the team’s best option as a third-string center.
Hart doesn’t fit the traditional mold, but he makes sense in a pinch. He’s an elite rebounder for his position, and he’s the kind of player who doesn’t shy away from the messy work. When the situation gets awkward, he usually finds a way to make it work.
There’s some precedent for the Knicks using wings against bigger players. OG Anunoby had success in those matchups last year, especially with the way he handled Victor Wembanyama. But Hart feels like the cleaner answer if New York needs someone to absorb minutes at the five.
He’s already versatile defensively and has spent time guarding all kinds of players. If the Knicks need him to battle inside, he should be able to hold up against bigger bodies.
Teams already leave him open from three, so using him as a screener wouldn’t be anything new. And because opposing centers often guard him anyway, he could return the favor on the other end.
Hart is obviously undersized for the position, but he’s also strong, clever and tough enough to survive there for short stretches. The idea wouldn’t be to make it a regular thing. It would just be a way to get Towns and Drummond a breather, or cover for one of them if they miss time.
It’s not an ideal plan, and the Knicks still need to bring in at least one more big before the season starts, even if it’s only on a two-way contract. But if they’re forced to improvise, Hart looks capable of handling the job after a few lessons from Towns.
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Josh Hart Is At The Center Of The Knicks' Next Cap Squeeze
Josh Hart has already played a role in the Knicks roster-building flexibility once, and that matters now as the team keeps staring at a tighter cap picture. In 2023, Hart opted into the final year of his previous deal, a move that helped New York use the full mid-level exception and bring in Donte DiVincenzo, who quickly became a major piece of the Knicks rotation and later part of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade.
Hart is now in the third season of his four-year, $80.9 million extension, with a $22.4 million team option sitting on the books for 2027-28. The Knicks can hope for savings elsewhere as they map out the next few seasons, but Harts contract structure makes him one of the more important names to watch as the front office tries to keep the roster together without boxing itself in. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Face A Massive Karl-Anthony Towns Decision Soon
Karl-Anthony Towns is already sitting at the center of the Knicks next big roster question, and it is one that will shape how much flexibility the front office has going forward. He is set to make $57.1 million next season and carries a $61 million option for 2027/28, while also being eligible for a four-year extension that would put New York in a far more expensive long-term position.
For the Knicks, the issue is not just whether Towns is worth the money, but how to balance that commitment against the rest of the roster and the realities of the salary cap. There are different paths ahead, and each one carries a different level of risk for both sides, which is why the decision is already looming as one of the most important contract calls on the teams calendar. [Read more 🡒]
Jose Alvarado Could Be More Important To The Knicks Than Fans Realize
Jose Alvarado arrived in New York with a clear reputation, the kind of guard who can change the tone of a game without needing the ball for long stretches. Acquired from the New Orleans Pelicans at the deadline and then signed to a three-year deal this summer, he gives the Knicks another reliable backcourt piece after playing meaningful bench minutes in the playoffs, including the NBA Finals.
For a team with bigger postseason ambitions, the fit may matter as much in January as it does in May. The idea is simple enough: Alvarado could help ease Jalen Brunsons regular-season workload and keep him fresher for the spring, even if that plan is still more projection than promise. If the Knicks get that balance right, a depth move could end up looking a lot more important than it did on the day it was made. [Read more 🡒]