The New York Knicks acquired Josh Hart from the Portland Trail Blazers to improve their roster and make a playoff push.
Michael Scotto reported in the morning on February 8, 2023, that the New York Knicks were interested in Portland Trail Blazers’ Josh Hart. Then, later that night, we received the official report from Adrian Wojnarowski.
The full details of the deal are as follows:
Portland Trail Blazers receive:
- Cam Reddish
- Ryan Arcidiacono
- Svi Mykhailiuk
- Knicks 2023 first-round lottery-protected pick (will convert to four seconds rounders if the pick doesn’t convey this year)
New York Knicks receive:
- Josh Hart
This was a good trade by the Knicks. We knew New York wanted a wing player, and they got that in Hart. But there are still questions that need to be answered about this move. So let’s dive in.
How does Hart help the Knicks?
On July 26, 2021, I published an article detailing which shooting guards the Knicks should go after in free agency, and Hart was fifth on that list. I said then, “Josh Hart would be an excellent addition to this young Knicks team because he is known for his defense, rebounding, and three-point shooting potential.” All that remains true today.
Hart is the definition of a Tom Thibodeau guy because his known trait is being a hard-nosed defender.
New York’s defense is still highly ranked in defensive rating after the nine-man rotation change. They have a 112.9 defensive rating, which ranks eighth in the league. But after watching many defensive lapses throughout games, even in late-game execution, it only makes sense to reinforce the defensive side of the ball, especially without Mitchell Robinson. On top of that, even though the Knicks’ three-point defense has improved, we’ve seen the Knicks get exposed when protecting the perimeter, so getting Hart helps mitigate their woes.
Getting someone like Hart is a wise move for this team because they get a solid on-ball perimeter defender who can close out to the three-point line in drop coverage and make crisp defensive rotations. And as KFTV Max wrote, even though New York is a top 10 offensive team, they’re not entirely fluid on that side of the court. They struggle to make open jump shots, and sometimes there isn’t good ball movement. That’s why it feels like their offense is grinding gears.
So for New York to compensate for their offensive struggles, they need to be better on defense to remain competitive (a la the 2020-21 season, when they had a top-four defensive rating).
But getting back to Hart’s defense, he is also known for his rebounding prowess. Regarding total rebounds on the season, Hart ranks second in the NBA amongst guards with 417 total rebounds – he ranks 23rd amongst all players in the league. And when it comes to rebounds per game, he is third amongst guards with 8.2 rebounds – amongst all players in the NBA, he ranks 35th.
The most significant benefit of Hart’s strong rebounding is that he knows to turn defense into offense.
How often have we seen a highlight floating around NBA Twitter of Hart grabbing a board, going coast-to-cost in transition, and scoring? Too many times. And the numbers back that up.
According to Cleaning the Glass, Hart’s on/off differential is in the 80th percentile amongst wings when scoring in transition per 100 possessions. And most of that scoring is done off live rebounds. Going back to Cleaning the Glass, Hart’s on/off differential compared to wings is through the roof when scoring in transition off live rebounds. He is in the 99th and 98th percentile when it comes to frequency and points per play, respectively.
Continuing on to Hart’s offense, he does most of his scoring either around the rim or from three (fitting with the trend for most of the NBA). Josh has attempted 363 field goals this season. Of those attempts, 187 were five feet less from the basket (hitting at 67.4 percent), while 112 were from three (shooting at 30.4 percent). Between those areas, that is 82.4 percent of his shot diet.
Obviously, Hart being able to finish around the rim is great. But the three-point shooting is the primary concern.
This season, he is attempting 2.2 threes per game and averaging a 30.4 three-point percentage, both career lows. However, when Hart can shoot three or more three-pointers per game, he can be a respectable shooter.
But an aspect of Hart’s game that should not go underrated is his passing ability. He is averaging 3.9 assists per game his season, so he should help the Knicks improve their ball movement since they’re prone to their offense stagnating, especially down the stretch of close games.
Where does Hart fit in the rotation?
Depending on what side of Knicks Nation you’re on, you either hate the trade or love it. And the reason is because of the uncertainty of what will happen with Quentin Grimes, Immanuel Quickley, and even RJ Barrett’s minutes. (I think it is safe to say that Miles “Deuce” McBride will probably see his minutes drop).
I would expect Quentin Grimes to stay in the starting rotation because he is a connector, a solid three-point shooter, and has a quick first step to attack the rim. Grimes just offers a dimension that New York needs that Hart couldn’t replicate.
As for Quickley, he is a spark off the bench and the second unit’s point guard, so I cannot see Hart taking up that many of IQ’s minutes. In addition, we’ve seen that Thibodeau likes to have Quickley in the backcourt with Brunson to have a secondary ball-handler.
With that said, I would expect Hart to cut into some of Grimes’ minutes more so than Quickley’s. But the player who may lose minutes, especially in the fourth quarter (depending on how his offense is that night), is RJ Barrett.
Barrett has struggled on defense this season. Currently, he has the worst defensive rating on the team at 116.8 – he slightly edges out Brunson, who has a defensive rating of 116.7. But Brunson’s lack of defense is understandable because of his size (also, he is our most consistent and clutch offensive player, so he gets a pass). For Barrett, though, I could see Hart closing games if Thibs is looking for defense in the final minutes. Also, because of Hart’s rebounding, he would help to secure rebounds on last possessions instead of having to witness another clutch bucket by an opponent to either force overtime or win the game.
In the end, I would expect Hart to come off the bench because Grimes has earned his role. But you never know. Also, if you want players to get more rest to be refreshed for the latter half of the season, Hart helps with that.
What about Hart’s contract?
Hart has a player option for next season, and we should expect him to opt out after this year and try to get more money. After that, the question is whether he will re-sign with the Knicks or look elsewhere.
I would expect the Knicks to do their best to keep Hart because they traded for him, and Thibodeau has been keen on him for quite some time now. On top of that, you have to factor in the CAA connection with agent Aaron Mintz and the Villanova relationship with Jalen Brunson since they were teammates.
At the end of the day, it will come down to the money. But, if the Knicks can afford him and other players they want to keep (Quickley, Grimes, etc.), then I can see Hart as a Knick next season and maybe longer.
What about the cost of trading for Hart?
Here has been an area of contention with some Knicks fans. Some are upset that Cam Reddish wasn’t given a fair shot after trading for him, which I understand and agree with. Others are also upset the Knicks sent a lottery-protected first-rounder with Cam Reddish, Ryan Arcidiacono, and Svi Mykhailiuk to get Hart.
I am not upset with the deal. Cam, Arcidiacono, and Svi weren’t getting any playing time. And in return, the Knicks get a solid starter.
As for the draft compensation, I wouldn’t worry about the pick. The Knicks still have the Dallas Mavericks pick, and according to Tankathon, the Mavericks selection is currently slotted to convey into the 20th pick (tied with the Knicks for the same projection). Of course, anything can change since we are still in the thick of the season; the Mavs first-rounder could rise while the Knicks pick drops or vice versa.
Additionally, the Knicks have the Washington Wizards’ first-rounder – a lottery-protected pick. As of now, the Wizards’ selection wouldn’t convey. But, if the Wizards started to perform in the Eastern Conference, which has changed drastically after the Brooklyn Nets blew up their superstar team, New York could theoretically have two first-round draft picks this year.
We should also remember that the Knicks can trade and acquire more draft capital.
The trade for Josh Hart was a decent around-the-edges move by the Knicks. They didn’t ruin the draft capital war chest and got slightly better.
Grade: B-
(I said C+ on the KFTV Trade Deadline show. But the more I thought about it, there are more positives, which is why I bumped up the grade a bit.)
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. And in case you missed it, check out CP and Ian Begley on SNY TV as they react to the Josh Hart trade!
