Josh Hart said he is not stressed by the Knicks' decision to pause extension talks, stressing that he remains happy in New York and focused on the season despite admitting contract uncertainty can sometimes be difficult to ignore.
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New York Knicks guard Josh Hart has responded to the team's decision to pause contract extension talks.
The Knicks announced on Friday that they will not negotiate extensions until later in the 2026-27 season, choosing instead to focus on the start of the campaign.
"Everything is gonna work out, so I'm not really too stressed over it or put too much into it," Hart said after Saturday's practice. "Obviously, we have high expectations. It's good to be able to just focus on the season and keep it moving."
Hart is one of four Knicks players currently eligible for an extension, along with Karl-Anthony Towns, Miles McBride, and Tyler Kolek. New York has until June 30 to finalize any deals.
"At the end of the day, I'm under contract in New York," Hart said. "We have a hell of a team that's gonna try and repeat. I'm in an amazing situation off the court. No, it's not frustrating."
Hart is eligible for an extension worth up to approximately $131 million over four years, though a shorter deal around $60 million has been viewed as a more realistic possibility.
The 31-year-old averaged 12.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists across 66 regular-season games last season and remains a key part of a Knicks team looking to defend its NBA title.
Hart admits uncertainty can still be difficult
Although Hart insisted he is comfortable with the situation, he acknowledged that lingering contract uncertainty can still weigh on players day to day.
"There will be days when you don't think about it, days where you're like, 'Let's hoop,' and then other days where it's top of the mind," Hart said.
"We're human. Sometimes it's difficult if you don't know what your future is. Sometimes that's tough, battling that some days. But some days, you're not even worried about it."
Hart also stressed that players need to avoid getting distracted by speculation surrounding their future.
"We just gotta make sure we continue to block out the noise and whatever rumors that whatever random person says their sources said on Twitter," he said. "We just gotta block that out and keep it moving."
"Right now, I'm cool. I'm focused on the season."
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