Knicks forward Josh Hart is having the best season of his nine-year NBA career, averaging personal bests of 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, along with a career-high 57.1% mark on field goal attempts. His 14.6 points per game and 38.2% three-point rate are also well above his career rates, and he has been a positive asset defensively for the 24-11 Knicks.
As Steve Popper of Newsday writes, teammate Karl-Anthony Towns believes Hart has a real All-Star case. Hart himself is less convinced — and suggested he’d be perfectly happy to be excluded and take advantage of his vacation time during All-Star week.
“I can get an All-Star? Hell no,” Hart said. “I feel like they appreciate what I do but like I said, my game is not glitz and glamour that breeds that kind of accolade. And I’m fine with that. I’m a servant to these guys. I want to make sure they’re good. I want them to get the accolades. I want to have my toes to touch some sand come February.”
Hart admitted it would be “amazing” to earn All-Star recognition, but he pointed to Jalen Brunson and Towns as the Knicks’ likely representatives and made a case for the team’s other two starters ahead of himself.
“(Mikal Bridges) and OG (Anunoby) would be more than deserving,” Hart said. “I think that’s on us to continue to win and continue to highlight those guys and show what they can do on both sides of the ball. So we got to continue to win for that to happen and make sure we sacrifice so those guys can be in that position.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- In a battle of red-hot clubs, the Knicks had their nine-game winning streak snapped on Friday by a Thunder team that won its ninth straight contest. James L. Edwards III of The Athletic takes a closer look at the matchup, writing that the Knicks continue to trend in the right direction despite being unable to record a signature win.
- Knicks guard Miles McBride missed a second consecutive game on Friday due to a hamstring strain. Referring to the injury as “frustrating”, he told Stefan Bondy of The New York Post that he’s playing it safe with his recovery because he doesn’t want to risk making things worse. “Just seeing how it feels. It’s tough with hamstrings,” McBride said. “Those type of injuries, you don’t want to rush it. But I’m progressing.”
- A number of teams have been inquiring about the health of Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who says three clubs he spoke to recently didn’t gain any clarity on the subject. Although Robinson is a potential trade candidate, Begley believes New York’s preferred outcome would be for the big man to get healthy and finish out the season with the team, since his value on the court would exceed his value on the trade market due to concerns about his surgically repaired feet.
- If the Knicks aren’t confident about Robinson’s ability to get healthy and stay healthy, Jonas Valanciunas, Goga Bitadze, and Nick Richards are among the centers the team may be interested in, Begley says, noting that all three of those big man were on New York’s radar last summer.
Orl wont parcel Goga, lotta teams messed up not offering the full MLE last summer to try and persuade him away.
He’d have about 4x the trade value on the market as Val has today, Im probably even understating that a little
You can probably get Wendell Carter tho for free like an old couch if you just show up with a pickup truck at said location
They win with Goga playing. Wendell starting at C has been meh. Carter would be a perfect PF
Mitchell Robinson has been spoken about more often, more time devoted to thought, on forums, articles, and tv, to have done so very little, compared to other nba players.
I’m not sure that a Knicks fan can finish a paragraph, without talking about him.
It’s different.
Goga isn’t going anywhere. Not with Wagner out. Knicks need more than just Mitch. They need a scorer off the bench. First send Hart to bench and start Precious. That helps Team D. And Bridges gets more shots.
I don’t think Knicks can count on Mitch. He’ll be in gm shape in March or April. Mitch can help someone tank by sitting out getting healthy. Be 100% for next yr. And play for new contract. Jazz fit this scenario. And Knicks can get a backup Center and bench scoring. Kessler and Clarkson fit the bill. Jazz can tank for Cooper. Like You Know Danny wants to do.
Knicks can send Mitch, Kolek, 1st and two 2nd.
Sending Hart to the bench over Precious is silly work. The D is fine currently.
Makes team D better. Cause he helps Towns with another body. So you protect KAT. He helps Bridges get better shots. Helps two players and team D. Hart gives us what we need most. A real sixth man, scoring off the bench. Hart can still play more mins than Precious. Silly is what you can’t see.
Precious starting? What a ridiculous and unserious suggestion. You must not watch Precious much. He is not a starter. Keep Hart where he is unless Mitch comes back.
And Clarkson is AWFUL. He is a chucker that shoots a low %. Why would the Knicks want that? Bench scoring? Dude would shoot Knicks out of games.
mlb misses U.
And U miss Knicks games if you think Precious should start. LOL.
Knicks have three players in top ten in mins.
1- Bridges, 2- Hart, 7- OG. Knicks bench scored 5pts against Thunder. Feb 6 is the Trade Deadline.
I would trade for Portland’s players that can help a playoff team (Thybulle and Grant). I would assume Ayton is not needed with KAT, Robert Williams is essentially Mitch, minus the familiarity, and Portland won’t trade Scoot (I don’t see his fit in a contender anyway).
Grant might be not available for limited assets. But Thybulle is absolutely gettable
Would love Grant. Unfortunately we can’t get him. Too expensive.
Knicks don’t need Thybulle – they have enough D at forward. They need a Grant or Simmons if they would deal with Portland. Not sure what the Knicks would do with Scooter, and seriously doubt that Portland would just give up on him after one year.
Knicks better take it out on Bulls ……. Bulls beat them at MSG.
Can’t watch anymore ….. bench scoring for a tired team.
Frazier to Ali? It’s the regular season, it happens. Knicks will be fine.
I love Hart but, let’s be serious. If D White can’t get a all star nod, I seriously doubt Hart can. Everyone needs a Josh Hart though.