The New York Knicks’ goal of keeping their key contributors healthy for the 2026 postseason has already gotten off to a less than ideal start prior to their opening night matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
New York’s 2-time All-Star Jalen Brunson and 3-time All-NBA Team selection Karl-Anthony Towns will lead the charge in 2025-26, but their do-it-all forward Josh Hart’s presence for the beginning of the new campaign remains uncertain.
With their battle against the Eastern Conferences No.1 seed from a season ago approaching quickly, SNY’s Ian Begley reported that the impactful wing might not be ready for tip-off on opening night due to a nagging back injury suffered during the preseason.
“I just assumed that he would be back by now based on what I had heard in the aftermath of that back injury,” Begley shared in a Tuesday morning episode of SNY’s The Putback with Ian Begley.
“You have to question whether you’re going to have him Wednesday and how bad that injury actually is. If it was as minor as it was described in the aftermath, he would’ve been practicing by now and scrimmaging by now at the very least.”
“Maybe it’s a game of possum that the Knicks are playing with Josh Hart and with the Cavs and he’ll be out there and ready to go on Wednesday, but it’s concerning.”
The Knicks’ fantastic connective piece went down with a non-contact lower back injury in the team’s first preseason contest against the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 2, and it appears as though his recovery is carrying on longer than previously expected.
If New York’s glue guy forward remains absent for their season-opener, the team is in danger of beginning the season with a loss against one of the titans of the East.
In 77 appearances for the Knicks in 2024-25 while playing a league-high 37.7 minutes, Hart contributed 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.5 steals while knocking down 52.5% of his field goal attempts.
Hart’s energy, defensive motor and high IQ did plenty to help lead New York to an Eastern Conference Finals berth in 2024-25, and the mystery surrounding his back issue could become a true cause for concern in the immediate future.
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