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Jalen Brunson will be reunited with former Villanova teammate Josh Hart as the New York Knicks finalized a trade to acquire the veteran swingman. The Knicks are sending Cam Reddish and a first-rounder to the Portland Trail Blazers for Hart.
Brunson was at his jersey retirement ceremony when he learned about Hart's trade to the Knicks. Here's a video of his reaction:
Brunson and Hart won the NCAA championship in 2016. They have had a solid relationship since then, but never got the opportunity to team up until now, which explains Brunson's reaction to the trade.
Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart were the starting backcourt for the Villanova Wildcats for two seasons (2015-16 and 2016-17). The latter then entered the NBA draft, while the former entered a season later.
During their championship-winning season, Brunson averaged 14.7 points and 4.1 assists, shooting on 54/38/88 splits, while Hart tallied 15.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, shooting on 51/36/75 splits.
New York Knicks could benefit from Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson's partnership
Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart certainly seem to have solid chemistry on and off the court. The latter appears to be an excellent fit alongside him and for the New York Knicks overall. Hart would be the perfect wing for the team. He is versatile with his positioning on the court.
The Knicks will benefit massively from his defensive ability. Hart has struggled with his 3-point shot this season, connecting on 30.7% of his attempts, but he possesses the ability to improve on that front. Last season, he shot 37.3% on 6.4 attempts per game.
Hart will offer stability on defense for New York, who have been inconsistent on that end. They rank 16th as per the NBA's defensive ratings in the league so far. His defensive mindset fits coach Tom Thibodeau's system, so adaptability doesn't seem to be an issue.
Hart has averaged 9.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. He is also a decent passer and is averaging 3.9 assists per game. With a distributor like Jalen Brunson alongside him, Josh Hart's production and efficiency could improve drastically with the New York Knicks.
The team didn't have to give up players in the rotation, so Hart will likely impact the team instantly. New York is currently 7th in the Eastern Conference, with a 30-26 record. They are 0.5 games behind the sixth-ranked Miami Heat. The Knicks will be hoping Hart's addition helps them remain in contention for a top-six spot, helping them avoid the play-in tournament.
Guess the Lakers players!
