Knicks Guard Endures Surgery From Playoff-Related Injury

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart underwent surgery related to a right ring finger injury he suffered this past spring during his team's run to the Eastern Conference Finals, as the team's PR account posted on Wednesday.

The guard, who led the league in minutes per game in starting all 77 regular season games he was available for, should be ready to resume basketball activities later this summer.

The Knicks will need Hart as they prepare to build on last year's surprising playoff journey that led them within a series of the NBA Finals.

His longtime role as one of the Knicks' top 3&D wing was thrown into question for the first time in the conference finals, a matchup the Knicks eventually lost to the Indiana Pacers, when his play slipped and he lost his longtime job as the starting 2-guard next to Jalen Brunson. Hart will still have plenty to offer next season as an experienced hustle player with some big game experience under his belt, but he'll need that finger to be right if he wants to be the play-finishing shooter that Brunson needs.

He was a distinct favorite of former Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, who showed his respect for Hart's effort with a trust that only slipped in Thibodeau's final days on the job. Hart's next coach, Mike Brown, promises to change up the team's on-court strategy, potentially changing the guard's role on the team as he prepares to make his return to the game.