It’s a Villanova reunion.
As Jalen Brunson was getting his jersey retired at his alma mater, the Knicks negotiated a trade for his former Wildcats teammate, Josh Hart, by sending Cam Reddish and a first-round pick to the Blazers, a source confirmed.
Hart, 27, is a hard-nosed wing and represents, at the very least, a rotational upgrade for the Knicks as they push for the playoffs. He’s an elite rebounder for his size at 6-7 and should also boost the Knicks’ struggling perimeter defense. Hart could become a free agent in the summer by rejecting a $13 million player option for next season, meaning the Knicks may have to commit more money to avoid this being a rental.
