Josh Hart will enter his fourth year with the New York Knicks next season, after helping the team reach the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Hart played as a starter in all of his 77 appearances last season with the Knicks, becoming the team's do-it-all guard throughout the year. Sending a tongue-in-cheek message for the Knicks this season, Hart said he will ask for a trade if he does not start for New York this year. "If I don't start, I'll probably ask for a trade," Hart said sarcastically. The Knicks changed their head coach for the 2025-2026 NBA season, hiring Mike Brown to replace Tom Thibodeau, who coached the team in the past five seasons. The Knicks also added former Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson, and Guerschon Yabusele. Despite their additions, Hart is still expected to remain in the starting lineup this season. Hart averaged 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game last season as a starter alongside Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns. The Knicks finished third in the regular season last year, putting up a 51-31 record before taking down the Detroit Pistons, and the then-defending champions Boston Celtics in the playoffs. They lost to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Josh Hart will be playing with a finger injury for the Knicks in the 2025-2026 season Josh Hart intends to play through a finger injury in the 2025-2026 NBA season. According to Hart, he underwent a procedure to repair the injury last June, but continued to have issues with the same finger throughout the offseason. Now, Hart will just have to push through the season, despite the injury. "I'm just trying to get used to it, and then get through the season with it," Hart said "I don't want to go into too much detail, but I obviously got a procedure on it and then kind of reaggravated it somewhat recently. So probably just rock out with a splint this season and try to fix it again next summer.""But right now, the full expectation is to go out there and hoop and help this team be successful."The Knicks are expected to pounce on the East's lack of contenders this season as other squads such as the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks suffered massive roster changes due to injuries during the offseason.