Knicks' Josh Hart frustrated with role: ‘Might as well be playing with a football’

Although the New York Knicks are off to a solid 10-7 start to the 2023-24 NBA season, it appears things aren't all roses and high fives. At least not for forward Josh Hart, who was candid about his frustration when it came to his role in the team's offense.

Hart discussed the topic prior to Tuesday's game against the Charlotte Hornets, as Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reported.

“I’m a rhythm player. So sometimes if I don’t touch the ball for four or five minutes running up and down the floor, just catch-and-shoot, I might as well be playing with a football,” Hart said. “I feel like I have no feel for [the ball]. There are definitely times I [pass up shots] because I’m not in the rhythm. I don’t like the feel of it.”

Bondy detailed that Hart admitted he's been passing up open shots due to the fact that he rarely handles the ball in head coach Tom Thibodeau's system. The 28-year-old did clarify that he's "not disgruntled," per Bondy, and interestingly admitted that he was "trying to get into the mix early and trying to get back to how I normally play."

It seems that approach may have done the trick for Hart, who put together an impressive showing against the Hornets, a game the Knicks won 115-91. Hart scored 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting while knocking down 2-of-3 attempts from beyond the arc and adding six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. He also posted the second-highest plus-minus for the Knicks at +25 in 30 minutes of floor time.

It'll be interesting to see if Hart can use this game as a springboard going forward. Through the team's first 16 games, Hart averaged a career-low in points per game at 7.1. His rebounds, assists, steals and shooting percentage are all down this year in comparison to last season, which marked his first with the team. His shooting percentage entering Tuesday night of 42.2 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from three-point range also check in as the second-lowest and lowest of his NBA career.