Knicks guard Josh Hart handling the ball in the October 5 preseason opener
Knicks guard Josh Hart handling the ball in the October 5 preseason opener
Thirteen points, six rebounds, three assists and no turnovers. Josh Hart gave the Knicks more than an occasional outside shot Thursday, which is exactly why I’d keep him in the starting lineup.
The Knicks lost 111-109 to Washington and shot 11-for-38 from three. Their need for better shooting is real. The conclusion that they need a different starter isn’t established by that result.
Hart went 5-for-8 from the field in 21 minutes, including 1-for-3 from outside. He tied Jalen Brunson and Landry Shamet for the team lead with 13 points. Four of his five made baskets were two-pointers, giving New York some efficient scoring on a night its perimeter shots weren’t falling.
Monday’s opener was much less productive: two points, one rebound and no assists in 13 minutes. Thursday was an improvement, not proof of a permanent fix. Both games belong in the evaluation.
I’d still keep Hart with the starting group and make his off-ball involvement a priority. Getting a more conventional shooter into that spot might improve one part of the offense while removing contributions the Knicks don’t replace as easily.
Knicks guard Josh Hart defending Anthony Davis in the October 8 preseason game
Oct 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis (23) is defended by New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Alexander Wohl-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Knicks need an active Hart, not a stationary one
Hart doesn’t need to handle the ball like Brunson or get the same touches as Karl-Anthony Towns. He needs responsibilities that use his passing and movement instead of asking him to wait outside for a shot that may never come.
I’d build possessions where he screens for Brunson, cuts after giving up the ball and becomes a passing option when a second defender commits to a scorer. Brown should use the remaining preseason games to test those actions with the starters, rather than make Hart’s next few threes the entire evaluation.
The difference is important. When a defender doesn’t respect a player’s outside shot, leaving that player still can help the defense. Bringing him into an action forces another decision: follow the cut, deal with the screen or leave a passing option available. The Knicks can address that without changing all five starters.
Hart’s six rebounds and three assists Thursday are separate contributions from his scoring. He added a steal and a block without a turnover. A player capable of helping in several areas deserves a more complete comparison than simply asking whether another reserve has a prettier three-point percentage.
There is room for a different combination
More shooting alongside Brunson and Towns is a reasonable alternative, especially against an opponent that repeatedly crowds the paint. Brown should test those groups. Hart doesn’t have to finish every game just because he starts it, and a particular matchup can justify using somebody else.
The limitation is that two preseason games tell us very little about how those choices will hold up over a season. Thursday’s production doesn’t settle the spacing issue, and his 1-for-3 outside shooting isn’t evidence of a new level as a shooter.
What it does provide is a reason to resist reducing Hart to that one skill. New York’s starting lineup remained Brunson, Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Towns, as SNY reported from the game. Keeping that group together doesn’t mean its offense has to stay unchanged.
Give Hart a more active job, compare the results with the shooting-heavy alternatives and choose the better group for each matchup. Replacing him before testing that would risk throwing away useful offense while trying to improve it.