Now that the New York Knicks have done the work of securing the free agents on their roster from last season and are closer to finalizing their roster for 2026-27, the next question is how the Knicks can lock down the main players on their roster to keep their championship winning roster together for the long run. 

Jalen Brunson is eligible for a contract extension next offseason and Karl-Anthony Towns is eligible for an extension now that the Knicks have been in conversation about, but there's another crucial player, one that toes the line between consistent starter and key sixth man, who is extension eligible this offseason as well: Josh Hart.

Hart has been with the Knicks since three-and-a-half seasons after being traded from the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2022-23 season and he's been a crucial support piece for the Knicks ever since, but he's heading into the final guaranteed year of his previous contract extension and set to make just over $20 million, with a team option to follow for the 2027-28 season. 

Signing him to a contract extension now would be one more step that the Knicks could take to securing their future roster and in a recent report from The Athletic, there's already speculation about what that contract could look like after James L. Edwards III spoke with several sources within the NBA, who both spoke under the condition of anonymity. 

“In talking to one league source...  he believes a three-year extension worth somewhere between $54 and $62 million would be a happy medium for both sides," Edwards wrote (via The Athletic). "With the years, Hart guarantees money until he’s 35. As for the money, the low end of that range would pay Hart between $18 million and $20 million annually, which somewhat aligns with the deal he is currently playing on."

Edwards' other source proposed a similar arrangement, placing Hart plausibly in the three-year $20 million annual value range. 

This deal would not only lock down Hart for the near future and keep the Knicks operating under the budget that they're already comfortable with, which is good considering that the Knicks may be operating under some tight financial constraints for a while to avoid entering into the second apron. 

It's also plausible that this deal would actually be made on Hart's side considering that he's clearly happy with the Knicks, it would be hard not to be when you're playing with your college teammates and winning a championship like Hart is, and it avoids either side being bogged down with further negotiations while there's actual basketball to be played. 

It remains to be seen what the Knicks and Hart actually do hammer out for an extension, if they make anything happen at all, but the proposed deals from Edwards' sources do make sense and would go a long way in securing one of the best energetic presences within the roster for years to come.,