Josh Hart concluded the preseason with only two points from six field goal attempts over a significant 90 minutes of play, leading Jalen Brunson to take full accountability for the circumstances.
Over four preseason contests, Hart appeared to be a bit out of sorts, a feeling he expressed following the Knicks’ loss to the Wizards last Friday.
“I’m lost. I have no idea,” Hart said when discussing his role. “There’s a couple of days … until Boston. So whether that’s trying to get a rhythm with that starting unit or we give somebody else a look and my role changes and comes off the bench and go with that unit.
“So just trying to figure it out right now. I pretty much have no idea. But we’ll see what happens in Boston.”
Brunson took Hart’s difficulties to heart, indicating that the problem lies with him.
“I have to be a better leader and make sure he’s ready to go by game one,” Brunson told The Post on Sunday. “It’s on me.”
The Knicks star even proposed the idea of shifting Hart to a bench position.
“I feel like Josh is a very unselfish person. There may be times he thinks, ‘I need to get somebody else involved,’ ” Brunson observed. “But from my perspective, I just feel like we need to be better as teammates to ensure we’re all aligned and building each other’s confidence, regardless. That starts with me.”
However, Brunson did not elaborate on whether Hart could benefit from a bench role, especially in light of his current performance and the many changes the team has experienced over the summer.
Image Source: Jalen Brunson / Shutterstock
