Josh Hart’s availability for the Knicks’ regular season opener against the revamped Philadelphia 76ers is completely up in the air, and honestly, that’s just the tip of the iceberg for his injury drama. The defending champions are just two days out from kicking off the new season, and they’re staring down a serious question mark regarding one of their absolute motors on the roster.
The Finger Injury That Changes Everything (Or Ends It)
Let’s just get the scariest part out of the way first. Hart’s got a lingering finger injury that he’ll be dealing with all season long. And here’s the real gut punch: if he ever elected to have surgery for it, that would be career-ending. Seriously, career-ending. Hart himself broke it down after a team practice, saying, “You can’t have the banging, repetitive (motion). Grabbing a rebound, palming it, shooting, catching the ball, doing all that: You can’t do that. So, if I did a joint replacement, then I wouldn’t be able to play.” The Knicks definitely know how crucial Hart is, because losing a player who brings that kind of energy and hustle, especially for a championship defense, would be absolutely brutal.
Ankle Woes and Opener Uncertainty
As if the finger wasn’t enough, Hart couldn’t even play in the preseason finale because of an ankle injury. Coach Mike Brown initially seemed to downplay it a few days ago, with SNY’s Ian Begley reporting that Brown didn’t think Hart’s ankle injury would impact his status for Tuesday’s opener. (Brown did start Mohamed Diawara in that finale, wanting him to guard Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes, for what it’s worth.) But even if Brown was optimistic then, the situation is definitely something to monitor as the opener looms. Hart could easily miss the first game to give that ankle the full recovery time it needs. When the media asked him about it on Sunday, Hart was totally noncommittal, just saying, “We’ll see in two days.” For a guy dealing with multiple injuries, that kind of response just leaves his status completely unclear. The team’s gonna be watching him super close these next two days.
Opening the season against the 76ers, who definitely mean business, is gonna be a tough battle. The Knicks are obviously hoping to have Hart out there, but you gotta figure his long-term health is the priority. If the team feels like Tuesday is just too soon, it sounds like he’s gonna sit this one out. You just hate to see this much uncertainty around a key player right before the season kicks off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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