The New York Knicks have been reeling since Josh Hart went down with a sprained right ankle, losing five of their last six. While there is promising news on the injury front, the Knicks need to add to their bench before the NBA trade deadline. What can the Knicks do?
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After spending most of the first two and a half months second in the Eastern Conference standings, New York has slipped to third with a 24-14 record. The Knicks began their current four-game road trip with a 112-107 win at Phoenix, turning the ball over 17 times to the Suns’ nine. The setback was the Knicks’ fifth in eight games during this stretch without Hart. They are now 5-5 without their “glue guy ” this year.
New York’s biggest issue without Hart has been the defensive end. However, they have also been less efficient offensively.
In the 10 games without Hart, the Knicks are averaging 116.1 points a game on 44.4% shooting. For the season, the Knicks are the sixth-highest scoring team with 119.4 points per game and 13th in the league at 47.4%. Meanwhile, the 119.3 points the Knicks are allowing without Hart are 4.5 points above their season average. The Knicks’ opponents are shooting slightly better without Hart (48.1% to 46.7%). The biggest difference without Hart is the Knicks’ rebounding and 3-point defense.
When Could Josh Hart Return?
The good news is that Hart is nearing a return. According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post has progressed to taking contact in practice and is “definitely getting close” to returning.
“’ll be back at some point. We’ll see. Pretty good little sprain,” Hart said on his podcast via Bondy. “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.”
Officially, Hart and Guerschon Yabusele, who sat out the Knicks’ loss to the Suns with a quad injury, are questionable for Sunday’s game against Portland. Meanwhile, Landry Shamet, out since November 23, has been ruled out for Sunday, though he could return soon.
What Does The Knicks Need?
While Hart and Shamet’s return will be a massive boon for the Knicks, they still need to do something at the trade deadline to solidify themselves as genuine NBA title contenders. The Knicks have one of the best starting units in the league, but their bench ranks among the bottom five. Their reserves compile 31.5 points per game, which is the third-lowest in the league, and their 14.9 rebounds are the ninth-fewest, as they average 16.1 minutes a contest — third-fewest in the NBA.
Shooting guard and power forward have been the Knicks’ biggest issues. It isn’t a surprise that shooting guard has been an issue, particularly with Shamet and Hart sidelined. Miles McBride is having a career season, and Jordan Clarkson is having a good year. But the injuries have forced McBride to play more than Mike Brown probably would like at the two. Neither McBride nor Clarkson is a good individual defender.
In terms of power forward, OG Anunoby has struggled with efficiency this year after a fantastic season in 2024-25. Anunoby has been productive and good defensively, but he isn’t shooting the ball well — below his career averages. He is also turning the ball over a little bit more than usual.
More significantly, Yabusele has failed to meet expectations, forcing Brown to use Mitchell Robinson, Mohamed Diawara, and Kevin McCullar Jr. at the four. Robinson is better suited to play the five, and the Knicks are managing his minutes due to his injury history. Meanwhile, Diawara and McCullar are wings.
Profile Of What The Knicks Need
- A physical power forward who can defend multiple frontcourt spots and rebound.
- A veteran wing or forward who is a good team defender.
Potential Targets: Nicolas Batum, Royce O’Neale, and Dorian Finney-Smith.
Mitchell Robinson’s Future With Knicks
Speaking of Robinson, he will likely be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Robinson is a limited but very productive player, as he is very efficient around the rim, a great rebounder, and a shot-blocker. While the 27-year-old has been limited to 20 minutes a game thus far, he averages 4.5 points on 65.8% shooting from the field and 8.8 rebounds (4.4 offensive) along with 1.1 blocks.
More importantly, with Robinson on the floor, the Knicks’ offensive rebounding jumps by double-digits. As a result, their second chance points also see a spike.
Defensively, Robinson does a fantastic job of altering shots without fouling. He also allows Knicks perimeter defenders to press higher,
While the Knicks could likely get a quality rotational player and a second-round pick for Robinson at the trade deadline, his value remains on the court. So, the Knicks will have a decision to make this offseason. He is making 12.9 million this season.
According to Bondy, in another article, many factors will go into determining Robinson’s value this offseason. Health will obviously be one of the most important factors, though Bondy believes his performance in this year’s playoffs will go a long way toward determining his value.
New York holds Robinson’s Bird rights. But the Knicks already have $203 million committed to just nine players for 2025-26, putting them just $15.6 million below the second apron. Bondy added that the Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets, and Chicago Bulls could have significant cap space. At the same time, several other teams are projected to be non-taxpayers with the full mid-level exception. It is believed that Robinson could command the full mid-level exception, which was set at $14.1 million last season.
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