Breaking Down the Knicks Trade for Josh Hart

Hart is is one of only five players to average at least 7 boards, 4 dimes, one steal & one 3PT while shooting over 50% since the start of last season. The other four LeBron, Jokic, Embiid, and Giannis

Let me start here: NBA franchises should either be rebuilding/tanking or attempting to construct a roster capable of qualifying for and competing in the playoffs. 

There has been great uncertainty regarding the Knicks' conflicting timelines and objectives over the past few years, but the arrival of Jalen Brunson this season has changed the direction of the organization. With Brunson, who is just 26 years old, captaining the ship, and Julus Randle playing at an All-Star level, along with a cadre of young, complementary contributors (IQ, RJ, Grimes, Mitch Rob), the Knicks are going to be competitive. They are currently four games over .500, rank tenth in the NBA in Net Rating, and are tied for the sixth seed in the East (and one of the teams ahead of them just traded their two best players). 

There is no plausible path to Victor Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson. Consequently, it makes sense for Knicks president Leon Rose to improve the team heading into the second half of the season. And Josh Hart improves any basketball team he joins.

Let's get to the particulars: The Knicks are trading Cam Reddish, Svi Mykhailiuk, Ryan Arcidiacono and a lottery-protected 2023 first-round pick to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Josh Hart. 

What can Knicks fans expect from Hart?

Hart, a 27-year-old defensive-minded wing, is a swiss-army knife. He has a high Basketball-IQ, is efficient offensively and is a tough, gritty, effective defender. 

His versatility enables him to stuff the stat sheet and contribute significantly on both ends of the floor. Dating back to the start of last season, Hart appeared in 105 games for the Pelicans and Blazers and has averaged 12.3 points (on 50.4% shooting), 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists (vs. 1.8 turnovers), 1.1 made three-pointers and 1.0 steals. 

He is one of only five players in the NBA to average at least seven boards, four dimes, one steal and one made 3-pointer while shooting over 50% from the floor during the stretch. The other four players in this club are Nikola Jokić, Joel Embiid, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

And it's not as though Hart puts up empty calorie stats; his production directly impacts winning. This season, Portland has outscored their opponents by 124 points with Hart on the floor. They have been outscored by 111 points with Hart on the bench. The only Blazer with a better plus/minus is Damian Lillard. 

Last year, Portland head coach Chauncey Billups called Hart "my type of player from the standpoint of just being able to go and play both sides of the basketball and just be tough… not only tough, but skilled," adding, "When he's out there, he plays with a level of urgency that you love." Last month, Billups characterized Hart as the Blazers' "heart and soul."

The Garden is gonna appreciate what this dude brings to the table. 

In terms of individual skills, Hart's greatest talent is his ability to clean the glass. Despite measuring in at 6'5", Hart pulled down 8.2 rebounds per game for Portland in 2022-23. He's averaging more RPG than Draymond Green, Jaren Jackson Jr., Myles Turner and Pascal Siakam.

According to Basketball-Reference, Hart is one of only three qualified players in the last 40 years listed under 6'6" to average more than six rebounds per game. The other two are Russell Westbrook and Jason Kidd. 

Helping control the boards, especially on the defensive end, is where Hart will make an immediate impact for the Knicks. On the season, the Knicks rank 21st overall in defensive rebound rate at 71.2%. 

In a Blazers' victory over the Knicks at MSG back in November, he ripped down a game-high 19 rebounds. Afterward, Tom Thibodeau was effusive in his praise of Hart. "He's probably the best rebounding guard in the league. So, when the ball goes up, if you stand and stare, that's gonna be a problem. ... He's got a great nose for the ball. He anticipates well. He's strong."

In so many ways, Harts is a quintessential "Thibs Guy." We also know Brunson is ecstatic to reunite with his former Villanova Wildcat teammate, as we saw Brunson's reaction in real-time last night. 

Knicks Videos @sny_knicks

Jalen Brunson's jersey was being retired tonight at Villanova and he just found out the Knicks are trading for Josh Hart. His reaction is priceless 😂 (via @Capj1344)

The big question is where/how Hart will fit in on his new team. 

Since the start of December, Thibs has been strictly relying on a nine-man rotation. And the three players New York is sending to Portland were not a part of that rotation.