Knicks Notes: Hart, Young, Brunson, Robinson, McBride, Yabusele

The Knicks have struggled without Josh Hart, who has missed eight games due to a right ankle sprain. Hart could return as early as Sunday when the Knicks visit Portland, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.

“I’ll be back at some point. We’ll see. Pretty good little sprain,” Hart said. “If this is my left ankle, I’m back by now. Because I’ve had some good ankle sprains on my left ankle. But I haven’t had many good ankle sprains on my right. This was a good one. After this, I won’t have any ligaments to sprain. So I’ll be solid.”

The Knicks have gone 3-5 without Hart’s all-around efforts, including five losses in their last six games.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

• On paper, Trae Young should make the Wizards better, which could increase the possibility of losing their top-eight 2026 protected pick to the Knicks. However, it appears that Washington will allow Young to sit and rest his injuries, rather than boosting the team’s chances this season, Bondy notes. If the Wizards’ 2026 first-rounder lands within the top eight, New York will instead receive Washington’s 2026 and 2027 second-round picks.
• Jalen Brunson didn’t deliver in the clutch on Friday. He shot just 1-for-6 in the fourth quarter with two turnovers, both in the final 95 seconds of a 112-107 loss to the Suns. “I just feel like I need to execute and be better towards the end of the night,” Brunson told Bondy. “That’s when I’m at my best. That’s what I pride myself on. … I just need to be better down the stretch and be more sound and be more fundamental.”
• There are many factors at play regarding Mitchell Robinson‘s impending free agency. The key to determining his market value will be his playoff performances, Bondy opines. As Bondy notes, the Wizards, Clippers, Lakers, Jazz, Nets and Bulls could have significant cap space while several other teams project as non-taxpayers with the full mid-level exception. ESPN’s Bobby Marks projects that Robinson would likely command a full mid-level deal.
• Miles McBride believes he can bring elite defense to the table, he told Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. “I know I can be one of the best point-of-attack defenders in the NBA,” he said. “I believe in myself, I believe that guarding really gets us going, gets us out in transition, which we did throughout the second half, which was really big for us.”
• Guerschon Yabusele missed Friday’s game due to a quad injury, Bondy tweets. He played 13 minutes against the Clippers on Wednesday, contributing eight points. Coach Mike Brown is looking for Yabusele to be aggressive when he suits up. “We need him to continue being aggressive if he can snap–drive it. Especially at his size, attacking the rim with aggression,” Brown said, per Schwartz. “And then we need him to rebound, that’s one of the big reasons he’s on the floor. For him to get out and help in that department, that was big.”