With the New York Knicks barely in full swing for the 2026 NBA season, Josh Hart is facing uncertainty. The Knicks have paused extension negotiations until later in the 2026-27 season, which leaves several players facing questions about their financial futures as the defending champions prepare for their title defense.
However, Hart’s best man on the NY roster, Jalen Brunson, recently set expectations for both sides.
“He's gonna be a professional,” Brunson said Saturday via Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. “Not just him — everybody. Everyone’s gonna be professional and continue to do their jobs. No matter what the situation is, things are gonna happen. There's always gonna be a roller coaster every season. Ups and downs emotionally. No matter what, when we're out there on the court, we're gonna have each other's backs.”
Hart is eligible for a four-year, $131.2 million extension. However, the Knicks announced Friday that they would suspend contract negotiations as the organization works to avoid the NBA's second salary cap apron. Karl-Anthony Towns and Miles McBride are also eligible for extensions.
Hart acknowledged that uncertainty can be difficult to manage, even when basketball remains the priority. Still, he said he was not overly concerned about the negotiations.
Article Continues Below“Everything is gonna work out, so I'm not really too stressed over it, [or] put too much into it,” Hart said after practice Saturday. “Obviously, we have high expectations. It's good to be able to just focus on the season and keep it moving.”
The guard also admitted that the situation could occasionally affect his mindset. He explained that some days the uncertainty would be difficult to ignore, while on others he could focus entirely on playing basketball.