Josh Hart Remains Focused Amid Knicks Contract Uncertainty

New York Knicks forward Josh Hart stated he is not overly stressed about the ongoing contract extension negotiations, choosing instead to focus on the upcoming season.

The Knicks organization announced Friday that they are suspending all contract extension talks until later in the season, a move aimed at adhering to owner James Dolan's directive to avoid exceeding the NBA's second apron luxury tax threshold. This decision impacts players like Hart, who is eligible for a four-year, $131.2 million extension, as well as Karl-Anthony Towns and Miles McBride, who are also eligible for extensions. Hart had previously expressed a desire to have contract discussions concluded before the season commenced, recognizing that unresolved negotiations could potentially distract the team.

"Everything is gonna work out, so I’m not really too stressed over it, [or] put too much into it," Hart said Saturday following practice. "Obviously, we have high expectations. It’s good to be able to just focus on the season and keep it moving."

Hart acknowledged that the uncertainty can be challenging, noting that while some days he can focus solely on basketball, other days the unknown future may weigh on his mind. "We're human, sometimes it’s difficult if you don’t know what your future is. Sometimes that’s tough, battling that, some days. But some days, you’re not even worried about it. You just gotta focus on going out there and hooping. Obviously, there’s a humanity side to it. Right now, I’m cool. I’m focused on the season."

Hart is currently set to earn $20.9 million this year, with a team option for $22.3 million next season. Both Hart and Towns have indicated a willingness to make financial concessions to keep the current team core together. However, Towns has expressed that the reported offer for his extension was not reflective of his perceived value.

Teammate Jalen Brunson, who is eligible for an extension next year, expressed confidence in Hart's professionalism and the team's ability to navigate the situation. "He’s gonna be a professional," Brunson said. "Not just him — everybody. Everyone’s gonna be professional and continue to do their jobs. No matter what the situation is, things are gonna happen. There’s always gonna be a roller coaster every season. Ups and downs emotionally. No matter what, when we’re out there on the court, we’re gonna have each other’s backs."

Brunson emphasized the importance of blocking out external noise and maintaining team cohesion. "There’s only potential distractions when you read and believe what people are saying," he stated. "No matter what’s being said, no matter what’s being talked about consistently or not, you believe what you wanna believe, you hear what you wanna hear. It’s on us as teammates and individuals and professionals to understand what the nature of it is. People are gonna talk about it. So we gotta control what we can control and do our jobs."

The Knicks' focus remains on repeating as champions, and the team's connection, which was crucial to their previous success, is now being tested by these contract uncertainties.