Josh Hart: Knicks contract uncertainty adds ‘extra weight’

Josh Hart wants to remain with the Knicks. He just doesn’t know whether that’s where this story ultimately ends.

Hart is among three notable Knicks players who appear unlikely to agree to contract extensions before the regular season, along with Karl-Anthony Towns and Miles McBride, according to Ian Begley of SNY.

For Hart, the uncertainty isn’t something he plans to carry onto the court once the games begin. That doesn’t mean it disappears completely.

“Once the season starts, I’ll probably have that mentality of, ‘I don’t really wanna deal with this, I want to try and focus on playing the season,’” Hart said. “But I’m sure there will probably be a little extra weight to the jersey.”

Hart said the uncertainty extends beyond basketball.

“You don’t know the certainty of your situation and obviously it affects home life,” he said. “There are certain things that you might want to do, but you’re like, ‘I can’t, because I have no idea what the situation will be in two months, three months, four months, in a year, if I’m gonna be here or not.’

“Hopefully, like I said, I’m a Knick. I’d love to be a Knick and I love the city.”

Meanwhile, Begley reports there remains a clear gap between what the Knicks have offered Towns and what the All-Star big man is seeking.

So there doesn’t appear to be an imminent deal with any of the three. For Hart, at least, there’s no mystery about where he’d like to be when everything gets sorted out.