Ranking the 5 best available shooting guards in 2023 NBA free agency

2. Josh Hart, New York Knicks

It’s hard to overstate how important Josh Hart was to the New York Knicks this season after coming over midyear in a trade. That value could translate to a nice chunk of change for Hart in free agency.

Frequently playing both shooting guard and small forward, Hart is the picture of versatility, both in the positions he can play and in what he provides on the court. He’s not a big scorer, but there’s little else on the court he doesn’t do, including finding the right moments to defer and the right moments to capitalize on his skills.

Hart is not going to be back on the player option he has for next season, which would pay him the same $12.96 million he made this past year. How do we know this? No less of an authority than the man himself said he would opt out.

But he also expressed an interest in returning. If the money makes sense, the Knicks would happily bring Hart back into the fold.

He’s certainly in line to make more than $13 million next season. Rumors and estimates online are saying a multiyear deal in the $18-$22 million range may make a lot of sense.

While a return to New York seems to be in the cards for Hart, he has the type of game that could fit well with virtually any team. His do-anything mentality may even be useful for one of the Knicks’ old-time rivals and recent playoff foes, the Miami Heat.