Josh Hart

Knicks Notes: Brogdon, Mathews, Hart, Robinson

Malcolm Brogdon‘s retirement announcement caught many around the league by surprise. Brogdon was presumed to have pole position in the preseason battle for a Knicks roster spot, and he was expecting to have a real role in head coach Mike Brown‘s rotation, write James L. Edwards III and Fred Katz for The Athletic.

Edwards and Katz, citing league sources, report that the cause for the sudden retirement was a feeling that he was no longer up for the toll, both physical and mental, that came from his many years of dealing with injuries. The Athletic’s duo notes that he wasn’t thinking about retiring in the run-up to training camp and only made his decision within the past couple days.

The Knicks had been widely reported to be seeking a trade that would allow them to keep both Brogdon and another veteran, presumably Landry Shamet. With this news, the team can retain Shamet for the regular season without making any further moves.

We have more Knicks notes:

  • According to Edwards and Katz, sharpshooting guard Garrison Mathews was also in the mix with Brogdon and Shamet for the open regular season spot and the team may still try to keep both Shamet and Mathews. Mathews is averaging 6.8 points per game on 41.7% three-point shooting for the Knicks during the preseason. If he doesn’t make the Knicks’ final roster, Mathews isn’t planning on joining the Westchester Knicks in the G League, writes Stefan Bondy for the New York Post (subscriber link). “[The Knicks] got a lot of stuff going for them. And I think they’re going to be a contender,” Mathews said. “I’m just hoping I can be a part of it.”
  • Josh Hart is getting closer to making his return for the Knicks after back spasms kept him out for much of the team’s preseason, reports Kristian Winfield for New York Daily News. Still, Brown isn’t sure if Hart will be ready for the Knicks’ preseason finale on Friday and made clear he doesn’t want to rush the recovery process, as Hart’s energy and health are crucial components of the Knicks’ identity. “At the end of the day, Josh is an extremely important part of our process,” Brown said. “We know this is gonna be a process.”
  • The Knicks plan to manage Mitchell Robinson‘s minutes closely this season, reports SNY’s Ian Begley (via Twitter). Robinson has been starting with Karl-Anthony Towns throughout the preseason, but given his extensive injury history, New York plans to hold the defensive-minded center out of some games as a precaution. Robinson, when healthy, has been a crucial part of the Knicks’ playoff success over the last few years. Begley also noted (Twitter video link) that Robinson missed practice today with some lingering soreness after sitting out the second half of the team’s most recent preseason game.

Knicks Notes: Towns, Robinson, Hart, Giannis, Clarkson

Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson have both started in the Knicks‘ first three preseason games, and new head coach Mike Brown seems to like the idea of using the two big men together, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. It’s an option that Tom Thibodeau rarely had last season because Robinson was recovering from ankle surgery and was only available for 17 games. Their time together was mostly limited to the playoffs, and Braziller notes that the Knicks outscored opponents by 4.4 points per 100 possessions with the double-big lineup.

“The length on the floor is just unbelievable, when you’re playing KAT at the 4, playing OG (Anunoby) at the 3, Mikal (Bridges) at the 2,” Brown said. “That’s a big, long team, with a lot of interchangeable parts. And then offensively, not just for KAT, but for the rest of the group, it just gives you a different look. You’d think that group should be able to offensive rebound at a high level, which is one of our staples.”

Braziller points out that Robinson was very effective once he was able to begin playing last season, especially in the playoffs where he averaged 4.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while posting a +2.7 net rating. Brown believes Robinson can adapt to his up-tempo system, and Braziller states that the seven-footer engaged in an intense conditioning program during the summer to prepare himself.

“First of all, he’s a great runner. Not a good runner, a great runner,” Brown said. “And he’s got to — like all of us — play at this pace, especially all the time. We don’t wanna do it most of the time, we wanna do it all the time. Having said that, you know Mitch is a vertical threat. I’m just guessing off the top of my head. He might be the best vertical threat I’ve been around.”

There’s more from New York:

  • Josh Hart hasn’t been able to practice since suffering back spasms in the first preseason game, but he has advanced to on-court work, Braziller adds in a separate story. Brown believes Hart will be able to pick up the new system once he’s healthy. “He’s practiced a few times, played in one game. So you have a feel of what you’re going to get from Josh,” Brown said. “But the tough part about it is because what we’re doing is new, and he hasn’t gone through it, he’s a little behind in that regard. But he’s got a great feel, has watched us enough, he should be able to jump in. He might be a few steps behind, but he should be able to catch up quickly with the guys.”
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s reported interest in coming to New York if he ever asks to leave Milwaukee should be considered a major sign of progress for the franchise, contends Steve Popper of Newsday (subscription required). He notes that the Knicks have done a lot of work to rebuild their reputation around the league since Leon Rose took over as team president. Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required) offers his suggestions for a couple of Antetokounmpo deals.
  • Free agent addition Jordan Clarkson discusses the highlights of his long career in an interview with James L. Edwards of The Athletic.

Knicks Notes: Bridges, Hart, Starters, McBride

The Knicks‘ coaching change will result in new defensive responsibilities for Mikal Bridges, writes Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News. Bridges was usually assigned to check opposing point guards last season, but Mike Brown plans to use him against the other team’s best perimeter weapon, regardless of position.

“He will (guard the point of attack) some,” Brown said after Wednesday’s practice. “If Reggie Miller was still playing, I’d throw him on Reggie, because I think he navigates screens well, and with those long strides, he can stay close to a shooter’s body, and then he’s contesting and he’s got long arms. But then if we need to put him on a point guard, because, again, he’s able to navigate through screens and if he does get hit, people still feel him. They feel him coming with his length, and so we’ll mix it up. He won’t always be at the point of the ball. He won’t always chase shooters.”

Winfield notes that Bridges’ matchups with point guards last season resulted in him facing a league-high 25 screens per game, the largest total in the 13 years the NBA has kept track of the statistic. The strategy limited the wear on Jalen Brunson, conserving his energy to carry the offense. Brown’s change is part of an aggressive approach to defense that he hopes will produce more turnovers and create transition opportunities.

“I think our coverages (are) just a little different, when it comes to shifting and stuff like that: concepts, making sure our verbiage is always different with different coaches and different systems,” Bridges said. “I think more emphasis in being aggressive when you’re off the ball. Obviously the usual X’ing out, the help in rotation. I think every coach in the NBA has that. But just putting an emphasis on shifting and helping the guy on ball a little bit more.”

There’s more from New York:

  • Josh Hart missed practice the past two days due to illness and may not play Thursday against Minnesota, Winfield adds in a separate story. It’s the latest setback for Hart, who came to camp with a splint on his right ring finger, then suffered back spasms in the preseason opener in Abu Dhabi that forced him to miss the second game. Brown said he wasn’t sure if Hart’s back issue has fully cleared up.
  • None of the starters played more than 18 minutes in the two overseas games, but Brown plans to increase their workload now that the trip is done, according to Andrew Crane of The New York Post. “Getting closer to the season, getting closer to the real thing, we’re still preparing as well as we need to be,” Brunson said. “So we’ll just continue with that preparation and that focus, and yeah, obviously minutes aren’t what they would be in a regular season game, but everything matters what we do.”
  • Miles McBride has been mentioned as a possible trade target as the Knicks work out their final roster spots, but he avoids the speculation by staying away from social media, per Steve Popper of Newsday. Popper points out that McBride is probably too valuable to part with because he has a team-friendly contract and he’s a natural fit for Brown’s new system. “I love being here,” McBride said. “I want to be a Knick for life. I can’t control anything. So just going to come to work until they tell me otherwise.”

Knicks Notes: Brunson, Giannis, Rotation, Clarkson, Hart

Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson will have to get used to Mike Brown‘s offensive system, which will be more uptempo than the pace that former coach Tom Thibodeau preferred. There have been mixed results in the first two preseason games, Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News writes.

“I’m comfortable,” Brunson said. “We’re still adjusting, and that’s the process of this entire season. You’re not just gonna be who you are at the end of training camp. You’re gonna continue to get better throughout the season. So I think the longer that we go through this and understand what’s needed and asked of us, the better we’re gonna be.”

Brown is already seeing progress.

“Jalen, he’s starting to adjust. You can see it,” Brown said. “I think this is gonna be good for him. You can see how much space he has when he brings the ball, and again, if you want to pressure a guy like Jalen with that much space, there’s a pretty good chance that he can make you pay for it.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

  • Regarding the report that the Knicks had discussions with the Bucks regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo, The Athletic’s James Edwards III and Fred Katz examine whether it would make sense for the Knicks to acquire the superstar and whether it might happen down the road. Both note that the Knicks simply don’t possess the draft capital and young talent that the Bucks could obtain from other contenders like the Rockets and Spurs.
  • Edwards rolls out his preseason edition of predictions regarding the team’s depth chart and rotation. He continues to believe Brown will start Mitchell Robinson at center in a bigger lineup with Josh Hart coming off the bench. Edwards predicts that Miles McBride and offseason additions Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele will also play regularly off the bench, with the 10th man in the rotation being a fluid situation.
  • Speaking of Clarkson, he’s energized to play for a contender once again after being stuck on a rebuilding Jazz team, he told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “That’s something you chase. That’s a different high, man, if you want to put it like that,” he said. “The level of detail, every play matters. I really want to get back there and I want for sure to take every step day to day, but Coming here, one of the reasons why is I wanted to compete in the playoffs and be on a winning team that’s playing for something.”
  • Hart did not practice once again on Tuesday. He’s been battling back spasms in recent days and his status is considered day-to-day, Edwards tweets.

Knicks Notes: Brogdon, Brown, Hart, Brunson

Malcolm Brogdon got first-half minutes Saturday in Abu Dhabi as part of the competition for a Knicks‘ roster spot, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Coach Mike Brown is giving all three veterans with non-guaranteed contracts a chance to be on the floor with rotation players. Landry Shamet got his opportunity on Thursday, and Garrison Mathews is expected to be in that role during Friday’s game against Minnesota.

“Trying to see different guys we’ve signed with different combinations,” Brown said. “And putting them in at different — I may throw a guy in for three minutes. And if I throw him in for three minutes, part of that is I may use him that way in the regular season or I may use him that way if he makes the team in the regular season. So how does he respond? So I’m experimenting right now.”

Brogdon posted five points, four rebounds and two steals in 13 minutes as New York wrapped up a sweep of Philadelphia in their two overseas games. Playing in the second half, Shamet went scoreless in nine minutes and Mathews finished with six points while shooting 1-of-5 from the field.

There’s more on the Knicks:

  • Josh Hart was held out of action today after suffering a back injury that a team representative is calling “spasms,” Bondy adds in the same piece. Hart fell to the court in pain in the second quarter of Thursday’s game and was holding his lower back as he walked to the locker room. “It’s preseason and we’re going to err on the side of caution,” the representative told Bondy. “We’ll see where he is when (we get home).”
  • The Knicks were more successful in implementing Brown’s up-tempo offense in their second game under their new head coach, Bondy states in a separate story. Brown wants his team to push the ball in transition, and Jalen Brunson said the guards ran to the corners every time Philadelphia missed a shot. “Pace doesn’t necessarily mean fast,” Brunson said. “Obviously we want to get the ball across half-court in a certain time frame. But it’s about playing smart, seeing what the defense does and just reading that. We weren’t really trying to leak out, but we were trying to sprint to corners and we were getting behind the defense and we were able to get layups. So as long as we come away with a stop, that allows us to run.”
  • Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News assesses the players who saw court time in Abu Dhabi and examines how their games are changing with Brown in charge.

Knicks Notes: McBride, Dadiet, Hart, Towns, Brogdon, Mathews

If they want to keep Landry Shamet and Malcolm Brogdon on their regular season roster, the Knicks will have to make a cost-cutting trade due to the team’s proximity to its second-apron hard cap. Both players are currently signed to non-guaranteed training camp contracts.

Assuming they’re both healthy, Ian Begley of SNY.tv thinks the two veterans will make the final roster.

While Miles McBride has been floated as a potential trade candidate, in part because the Knicks would likely receive positive for him, Begley reiterates that he would be surprised if the 25-year-old gets dealt.

Due to his “production, age and contract,” McBride is coveted by multiple rival teams, according to Begley. However, people familiar with the matter tell Begley the Knicks also highly value McBride and have — to this point — shut down trade talks regarding the 6’2″ guard.

Second-year wing Pacome Dadiet appears to be more likely to be moved, as the Knicks have reportedly discussed him with rival clubs. The 20-year-old got a surprise start during New York’s preseason opener due to a minor hand injury to OG Anunoby.

But Dadiet didn’t play very well on Thursday, and head coach Mike Brown suggested ahead of Saturday’s contest that the French guard/forward may not be in the rotation going forward.

In terms of Pac in the rotation, I wouldn’t take into account too much that Pac started in the last game,” Brown said, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link).

Here’s more on the Knicks:

  • As expected, Anunoby was back in the starting lineup on Saturday, tweets Bondy. Mitchell Robinson got his second straight starting nod at center, while Josh Hart — who told reporters last week that he’ll likely have to wear a splint on his right ring finger this season after aggravating an issue which required surgery in July — was ruled out due to back spasms.
  • After being traded to New York last October, Karl-Anthony Towns feels more comfortable as a Knick entering his second year with the organization, he tells Steve Popper of Newsday (subscriber link). The five-time All-Star isn’t sure which frontcourt position he’ll log the most minutes at this season, but he’s willing to do whatever is asked of him. “I think for me, I’ve got a lot of experience playing both (power forward and center) now,” Towns said. “I’m still figuring all this out now for this year’s team. … I think it’s going to be a little more, feeling more seamless. Usually, you walk into a game, you know you’ll be the five today. You walk into a game, you know you’ll be the four today. I think for me, it’s going to be more of like I could be five for four minutes and then be four for two minutes, then go back to the five. So I think that’s going to be a little different for me, where I’m going to be so fluid on what my position is. I’m working on just making sure I’m ready for whatever the case may be with us, what I’m learning about our team and the way we want to play.”
  • Brown continues to experiment with different bench rotations during preseason, according to Bondy (Twitter link). Brown said Brogdon would receive first-half minutes on Saturday, while Garrison Mathews — another NBA veteran vying for a roster spot — will get first-half minutes in New York’s third preseason game next Thursday. Shamet received those minutes on Thursday.

Knicks Notes: Robinson, Hart, Dadiet, Brunson, More

After alternating between Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart in the starting five during training camp practices, Knicks head coach Mike Brown opted to start Robinson alongside Karl-Anthony Towns in the team’s preseason opener on Thursday, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required).

It was a move that “gained momentum” during training camp, Bondy writes, and one that paid off in the Knicks’ first game of October. Robinson racked up a game-high 16 boards despite not playing in the second half. New York led by 10 points at the half and ended up registering a 99-84 victory.

“He was phenomenal,” Brown said of Robinson. “Played 18 minutes, had 16 rebounds — 11 of them defensively — but more importantly for a big, he had three deflections. So Mitch, good job. I’ll get a plaque for you, Mitch. He was the player of the game for us.”

Brown told reporters prior to the game that the lineup change wouldn’t necessarily be permanent, but Hart took a hard fall and is considered day-to-day due to lower back soreness, as Bondy notes. That means Robinson is well positioned to at least keep his spot in the starting five on Saturday when the Knicks and Sixers play their second of two contests in Abu Dhabi.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

  • With OG Anunoby unavailable due to a minor hand injury on Thursday, Pacome Dadiet unexpectedly got the start in his place. But if it was an audition for a larger role with the Knicks or a showcase for a potential trade, it didn’t go great, says James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Dadiet went 0-for-5 on his three-point attempts and turned the ball over three times in 15 minutes of action while scoring four points and grabbing a pair of rebounds.
  • Edwards and Bondy shared a few more takeaways from the preseason opener, with Edwards pointing out that Towns seemed comfortable in Brown’s new, free-flowing offense, while both Edwards and Bondy singled out Miles McBride as one of the game’s top performers. Bondy also observes that Landry Shamet was part of the first-half rotation, whereas Malcolm Brogdon didn’t get into the game until midway through the third quarter, once Brown had begun to lean more on his deeper reserves.
  • While some star players around the league like to be consulted on major team decisions involving the roster or the head coach, Jalen Brunson tells Bondy (subscription required) that he’s not one of those players — the veteran point guard is happy to leave those moves to management and doesn’t feel the need to be involved. “My entire thing was, before anything happens, my job is to go out there and be the best player I can be. And do my job on the court,” Brunson said. “Anything that happens outside the court, with the organization, with the team, when it happens, tell me. But I don’t want any part in having a say in it or anything. It’s not my job to say who deserves to come, who deserves to go. It’s not me.”

New York Notes: M. Brown, Brogdon, Hart, KAT, C. Thomas, Powell

Knicks head coach Mike Brown made it clear on Tuesday that his philosophy regarding his minutes distribution for starters and rotation players won’t look the same as what the team got accustomed to under former coach Tom Thibodeau, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required).

“The biggest thing is trying to make sure you watch everybody’s minutes instead of trying to chase games,” Brown said. “There might be some games where maybe you throw the towel in early. It’s important to win, but you also have to understand, ‘Hey, I want to keep this guy’s minutes here, this guy’s minutes here, this guy’s minutes here, instead of trying to extend everybody’s minutes.’ Because if the season is long, we don’t want anybody worn out by the end.”

As Bondy observes, Thibodeau’s approach often felt like the exact opposite of the one laid out by Brown. The former Knicks coach frequently faced criticism due to the perception that he overextended his top players, particularly by leaving them on the court late in games in which the team held a big lead.

Brown, who worked as a Warriors assistant from 2016-22, pointed to the 2015/16 Golden State team that chased – and achieved – a regular season record of 73 wins but seemed to run out of gas at the end of that season. That prompted the Warriors to more closely monitor their stars’ workloads in subsequent years.

“It kind of caught up to them [in 2016]. And from that point on, that’s when [head coach Steve Kerr] was like, ‘I’m not going to chase it anymore,'” Brown said. “If we get it, we get it, but I got to make sure for Steph [Curry], if we want him to only play 35 minutes or average 35 minutes a game, then that’s what he’s going to average.”

Three Knicks players – Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby – placed among the NBA’s top six in minutes per game last season, with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns also in the top 25.

Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York teams:

  • Veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon doesn’t just expect to make the Knicks‘ regular season roster — he believes he’ll earn a spot in the rotation as well, he tells Bondy (subscription required). “I view myself as having a skill set and being a versatile enough player to crack any rotation in the league,” Brogdon told Bondy. “So I expect to do that here as well.” A report from The Athletic indicated that New York is leaning toward keeping both Brogdon and Landry Shamet for the regular season, which would require the team to trade a player.
  • Hart referred to it as “stupidity” to blame Towns for the Knicks‘ Eastern Conference Finals loss to Indiana last spring, according to Bondy (subscription required). As Bondy notes, Towns received some criticism due to his defense, but Hart doesn’t view that criticism as warranted. “I thought [Towns] played well in the playoffs. I mean, hey, I think the only one who should get blamed is me,” Hart said. “I had a terrible — I think I played well in Detroit, played well in Boston. With Indiana, I just didn’t have nothing left.”
  • Nets guard Cam Thomas reported to camp looking leaner this fall, but he said the work he did on his body this offseason wasn’t related to his recurring hamstring issues last season, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required). “No, it’s just something I want to do. Just me being me,” Thomas said. “Not really related to the hammies. … If I have the weight on or not, I’ll still be doing the same thing. It doesn’t really change how you play, really. At the end of the day, it’s how you look and how you feel. I feel good. Feel good, look good and you play good.”
  • Rookie wing Drake Powell, one of the Nets‘ five first-round picks, has been cleared for full-contact work earlier this week, Lewis writes in a separate story. Powell, selected with the No. 22 pick, missed Summer League due to a left knee injury that surfaced during the pre-draft process.

Atlantic Notes: Porter Jr., Hart, Celtics Lineup, Simons

Michael Porter Jr. took a back seat offensively with the Nuggets while Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray were the main options. That will change with the Nets, as the rebuilding club will look to Porter as its top crunch-time option, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes.

“Over here, it’s going to be completely different, and I have to be ready for that,” Porter said. “I have to be ready to be fresh as a go-to guy in the fourth quarter, and I’m aware of that. So, it’s going to be an adjustment. There’s going to be some growing pains and a growing period. But I’m ready for it.”

General manager Sean Marks confirmed that Porter, who was acquired this offseason, will have an expanded role on his new team.

“He’s another player that has something to prove,” Marks said. “He’s played on a championship team, and obviously, this is going to be a different market, a different environment, and probably different expectations.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Knicks forward Josh Hart said he’ll embrace a sixth-man role if that is what new coach Mike Brown chooses but that he “deserves” to start, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post relays. “I had the best year of my career last year, but that’s in the past,” he said. “I think I’m a starter in the league. I think I deserve to be a starter in the league, but at the end of the day, it’s what’s best for the team. Last year, I talked about sacrifice the whole time and kind of being that separate mentality and being a good steward of my gifts and those kinds of things. So I think it would be extremely selfish for me to go out there and demand to start and all those kinds of things. So, whatever Mike wants to do or doesn’t wanna do, I’m cool with. And time will tell what that is, but I’m gonna figure it out.”
  • Few teams changed their rosters more over the summer than the Celtics, who spent their offseason shedding salary in the aftermath of Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles injury. The NBC Sports Boston staff made their predictions on what the rest of the lineup will look like on opening night aside from returnees Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.
  • One of the key additions by the Celtics, Anfernee Simons, has an expiring $27.7MM contract. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe opines that the front office shouldn’t be eager to deal the high-scoring guard. While Washburn believes a strong season could earn Simons a contract in the $40MM-per-year range, he thinks the Celtics might be better off determining his impact and potential before making a decision next summer. If it does not go well, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens can always dangle Simons at the February trade deadline.

Knicks Notes: Hart, Towns, Rotation, Brunson, Bridges

Knicks forward Josh Hart underwent a procedure on his right ring finger in July, but he told reporters at the team’s media day on Tuesday that he recently aggravated that finger issue and will likely have to wear a splint this season, as Steve Popper of Newsday tweets.

Hart’s hope is that the splint will suffice for 2025/26 and he’ll be able to address the injury again next summer, tweets James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. While his goal is to be available for the entire season, the 30-year-old acknowledged that if he can’t play like himself as a result of the injury, he may have to address it earlier than the 2026 offseason.

“I hate playing with anything on my hands,” Hart said (Twitter link via Edwards). “It might take a little getting used to. That’s the best scenario (playing with a finger splint).”

Here are a few more highlights from the Knicks’ media day:

  • According to Edwards (Twitter link), Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns said today that he didn’t undergo any procedures on his finger or knee during the offseason, contrary to a June report. For what it’s worth, the wording in that ESPN report from June has since been updated to indicate that Towns underwent “treatment” on those injuries, rather than “procedures.”
  • Asked today about the team’s lineup and rotation, new Knicks head coach Mike Brown said “it’s too early” to make a final decision on his starting five, adding that he anticipates using a nine- or 10-man rotation (Twitter links via Edwards).
  • Multiple Knicks players, including star guard Jalen Brunson, expressed appreciation for former head coach Tom Thibodeau (Twitter link via Edwards). “It’s sad to see a man I’ve known for a long time part ways with this organization,” Brunson said. “He’s meant a lot to me. I’ve expressed that to him publicly and personally. He’s meant a lot to my career.”
  • Mikal Bridges signed a four-year extension this offseason that came in about $6MM below his maximum extension. He said on Tuesday that he agreed to sign for $150MM instead of $156MM because he wants to “win bad” and knew it would help the organization if he accepted a little less. “I got a good amount of money,” Bridges said.