Josh Hart could be the next member of the New York Knicks’ championship core to receive a long-term commitment, with The Athletic reporting that a three-year extension worth between $54 million and $62 million could represent a workable middle ground for both sides.
Two league sources cited by The Athletic identified a three-year deal in that range as a potential “sweet spot,” which would pay Hart roughly $18 million to $20.7 million annually and guarantee his salary through his age-35 season.
Hart is not expected to receive the maximum extension for which he is eligible. The Knicks have major financial commitments elsewhere, including OG Anunoby’s contract, Mikal Bridges’ four-year, $150 million extension and future negotiations involving Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson.
The 31-year-old strengthened his case for another extension with one of the most efficient offensive seasons of his nine-year NBA career. In 66 regular-season games in 2025-26, Hart averaged 12.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists while shooting 50.8 percent from the field and a career-best 41.3 percent from three-point range.
His .593 effective field-goal percentage was also the best mark of his career over a full season, reflecting the improvement in his perimeter shooting. Hart averaged 3.7 three-point attempts per game and made 1.5 per game, giving the Knicks more spacing without requiring a high volume of shots.
Rebounding remains another major part of Hart’s value. Despite standing 6-foot-5, he averaged 7.4 rebounds per game last season, including 1.4 offensive rebounds, after posting a career-high 9.6 rebounds per game in 2024-25.
Hart’s role was also important during New York’s championship run. The Knicks finished the regular season 53-29 before defeating the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers on their way to the NBA Finals, where they beat the San Antonio Spurs 4-1.
The Athletic specifically highlighted Hart’s defensive impact in the first-round series against Atlanta. New York lost Games 2 and 3 to fall behind 2-1 before winning the final three games by margins of 16, 29 and 51 points to advance.
A three-year extension in the $54 million-to-$62 million range would keep Hart’s annual salary in the low-$20 million range while giving the Knicks greater certainty with one of their most productive role players. The report noted, however, that Hart could have a case for seeking more by comparing his value with other high-level “glue” players around the league.
