Josh Hart underwent a procedure on his right ring finger following an injury he picked up during the team’s playoff run, the New York Knicks announced Wednesday.
Despite the setback, the Knicks expect the 30-year-old to be back for basketball activities later this summer.
Hart played a pivotal role in New York’s deepest postseason push in 25 years. In his second full season with the Knicks, he started all 77 regular season games, averaging 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 52.5 percent from the field. His 37.6 minutes per game led the league.
Hart’s postseason numbers held steady with 11.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.1 steals across 18 games while shooting 47.2 percent from the floor and 37 percent from three.
In the Eastern Conference semifinals, Hart volunteered to come off the bench in favor of Mitchell Robinson for Game 3 against the Pacers, a move that helped turn the series.
“That selfless conversation set the stage for a Game 3 comeback that gave the Knicks a fighting chance in their first Eastern Conference finals appearance in 25 years,” Andy Backstrom of Yahoo Sports reported.
Hart’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed, even as the Knicks eventually bowed out in six games to Indiana.
Since arriving in New York via trade in 2023, Hart has cemented himself as a key two-way contributor and earned a four-year, $81 million extension through 2028.
Now, as he recovers from surgery, the Villanova product will aim to build on a 2024-25 campaign that saw him log nine triple-doubles and anchor one of the NBA’s toughest defensive units.
READ MORE: Mavericks Big Man Dereck Lively II Undergoes Foot Surgery