When the news broke that the New York Knicks traded for Josh Hart before the deadline, Jalen Brunson was filmed celebrating the news. Not only were they teammates at Villanova, Brunson knew the kind of impact Hart could have. Hart is a steal of a deal for the Knicks; he’s the best rebounding guard in the NBA for his size, plus an elite passer and defender. He’s an ‘energizer bunny’ type, which instantly boosts the Knicks’ playoff chances.
Three Reasons Josh Hart is a Steal of a Deal For the Knicks
Off to a Great Start
Penciled in to lead the second unit alongside the athletic Obi Toppin and combo-guard extraordinaire Immanuel Quickley, their second unit looks fearsome. Especially in transition, which is a nice change of pace to their more methodical half-court-dominated first unit.
Tom Thibodeau has always been a huge fan of his game- often waxing lyrical about him after previous games against Portland. Hart was also a client of Leon Rose before becoming Knicks president. Furthermore, Hart needed to find an ideal team for his skill set. New York feels like the ideal fit.
Already, Hart’s Knicks career is off to a great start, dropping 27 points off the bench in their recent blowout win over their borough rivals in Brooklyn. Jalen Brunson once again dropped 40 points; it’s quite absurd that Brunson isn’t joining Julius Randle as an All-Star.
Let’s break down the Hart trade in greater detail and see what he offers the Knicks in their playoff pursuit.
Knicks Make Deadline Trade With Portland Trading Away Cam Reddish
Trade Details: Cam Reddish was traded to the Portland Trailblazers along with Ryan Arcidiacono and Svi Mykhailiuk , and a lottery protected 2023 Knicks first-round pick. This turns into four second-round picks if not conveyed. In exchange, the Knicks acquire Josh Hart.
On paper, this is a trade that benefits both sides- Cam Reddish needed a new opportunity to unlock his potential. Whilst the Knicks desperately needed wing help to improve their defense.
Hart wasn’t going to be extended by the Blazers with just one year left on his deal, so a first-round pick is a solid return for them.
Meanwhile, the Knicks trade a player who hasn’t played in over 30 straight games for Hart, the far superior player over their respected careers.
In all honesty, for the Knicks’ front office to spend a first-round pick to acquire Cam, then use another to trade him- isn’t the best use of assets. However, credit to the front office for finding the ideal fit in Hart prior to the deadline.
A New Opportunity for Cam Reddish
For whatever reason, Cam Reddish has not been able to find a home yet in the NBA. This goes beyond Thibodeau and the Knicks. He didn’t fit with Nate McMillan and the Hawks, either.
Cam has bags of potential and skill and is capable of scoring at all three levels on the court. He’s long, athletic, and has a smooth shooting stroke. Plus, there’s room to grow defensively. However, his inconsistency has plagued him. He’s proven to be an inefficient player, shooting just 39.5% from the field in his career to date. His defense has largely been underwhelming, also.
From what I understand, he worked hard in the offseason to make himself part of the Knicks’ plans, despite Tom Thibodeau’s well-known reservations about his fit within his system. To that end, it started promisingly, but there were clear defensive concerns within the Knicks rotation. This was brought to a head by an ugly loss to the Mavs on December 3rd. Prompting Thibs to remove Cam, Evan Fournier, and Derrick Rose from his rotation. A tough decision but the right one, considering the Knicks’ vast improvement since then.
Reddish should benefit from playing beside superstar Damian Lillard. Dame was quoted as saying in an interview regarding the Cam deal: “He hasn’t found a home yet, but he’s one of those guys where, if he gets to the right situation- could it just click?” The Blazers are banking on unlocking his potential. So far, so good in that regard, as Reddish is coming off an 18-point game for them most recently.
As for the Knicks, he wasn’t a fit. They were looking for consistency from the wing on both ends of the court. Hart feels better suited for that. Due to his intangibles, Hart is a steal of a deal for the Knicks.
Here’s Why Josh Hart Is a Steal of a Deal for the Knicks
Hart immediately addresses where the Knicks were deficient prior to the deadline. Quentin Grimes is an excellent prospect. He’s had the responsibility of matching up with the opposition’s best players most nights, but it’s starting to wear on him lately. Hart will help carry the load here.
RJ Barrett particularly looks devoid of confidence and is rated as one of the worst defenders in the NBA. His overall Defensive RAPTOR rating of -2.7 puts him in the bottom 11 players in the league, according to FiveThirtyEight.com. RJ’s also ponderous in possession, inefficient from the field, and struggling within the flow of the offense. In general, the Knicks play a slow, methodical half-court tempo, struggling to break down zone defenses at times,
Josh Hart fixes much of that. He’s a beast in transition and is an elite passer- in the 92nd percentile in passer rating. Hart has the skill set to break down zone defenses. He’s capable of cutting to the rim and shooting the three-ball when open. Furthermore, he doesn’t need the ball to be effective, as his work is as good with the ball as it is without it. This further helps the Knicks’ court spacing when playing beside the ball-dominant, All-Star caliber scorers of Brunson and Randle.
Hart massively improves their overall defense. To refer to the analytics site craftednba.com, Hart is in the 88th percentile in defensive versatility and 73rd percentile in defensive plus-minus. Compare that to RJ Barrett. The current starting wing is just in the sixth percentile in that metric.
Hart also leads the NBA in rebounds for guards that are 6’5 or under. Making him the best rebounder for his size in the NBA. This has been an issue with the Knicks, as only Julius Randle has been a plus defensive rebounder for the Knicks this year. With Hart’s addition, they are a threat on the boards, further enhanced when Mitchell Robinson returns. The Knicks are a great offensive-rebounding team, and he further enhances that, also.
Hart’s impact has already been felt on the team, with his debut performances being quite spectacular.
Hart Starting His Knicks Career With a Bang- In a Steal of a Deal for the Knicks
Hart’s debut came at the Garden in a win against Utah, where he lived up to his ‘energizer bunny’ reputation. He was everywhere in this game. Far beyond the stats of 11 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals off the bench. Hart played with tenacity, fought and hustled for every loose ball, and made winning plays.
For instance, making an athletic steal at the rim and making a perfect bounce-pass in transition to Toppin for the layup. Other highlights included exchanging assists with former ‘Nova teammate Brunson and making a corner three to break a fourth-quarter tie.
If his debut was tough to top, he did so against the Nets. Accruing 27 points off the bench, four boards, two assists, and shooting 4-6 from beyond the arc. His intangibles, anticipation, and smarts were all on show. Plus, his ability to go coast-to-coast in transition.
Hart may have found a home in New York. These fans particularly love hard-nosed types of players like him. Also, he’s a seamless fit due to his friendship with Brunson and his relationship with the front office and head coach.
There is an argument to be made that Hart could soon start games, but he will certainly close them due to his intangibles. The Knicks are currently within a half-game of the automatic play-off spot and comfortably sit in the seventh seed. This deal should raise their ceiling in their playoff hunt. All reasons why Josh Hart is a steal of a deal for the Knicks.
