PHOENIX — Josh Hart, who has missed eight straight games with a sprained ankle, is on his way to making contact in practice and is “certainly close” to a return, according to Mike Brown.
That update means Hart could play again in Portland as early as Sunday, and the Knicks need him. They are 3-5 without Hart, including Friday’s 112-107 loss to the Suns.
He watched the defeat from the players’ bench.
Hart’s absence has created a hole at the position, putting more pressure on Jalen Brunson to handle the ball and absorb physical and pressing defenses.
Tyler Kolek, Mikal Bridges and Miles McBride struggled in that role on Friday.
“Obviously we’re trying to give some young guys an opportunity, and some guys who aren’t in that situation, an opportunity,” coach Mike Brown said. “And they just have to do their best.”
Hart, who suffered the injury over Christmas, said on his podcast that spraining his right ankle made it worse, indicating he’s not used to healing.
“I’ll be back at some point. We’ll see. Pretty good little sprain,” Hart said. “If this is my left ankle, I’m back by now. Because I’ve had some good ankle sprains on my left ankle. But I haven’t had many good ankle sprains on my right. This was a good one. After this, I won’t have any ligaments to sprain anymore. So I’ll be solid.”
The Wizards still control the Knicks’ future and just acquired a four-time All-Star in his prime with their trade for Trae Young.
Theoretically, that should make it more likely that the Wizards play better and lose their 2026 top-8 protected pick to the Knicks.
However, according to multiple reports, the Wizards’ plan is to rest Young and rest his injuries, rather than forcing him to play and improve the team’s chances this season.
He has already been ruled out of Friday’s game against the Pelicans due to a quad contusion and a sprained knee. It’s the same knee sprain Young recovered from last month.
In other words, the Wizards are even more likely to lose this season after trading CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to the Hawks for Young.
The Wizards are 10-27, the fourth-worst record in the league. A bottom-four finish leaves the Wizards with their pick away from the Knicks, who also have their own first-rounder in 2026 but won’t have another until 2030.
If the Wizards’ pick doesn’t pass to the Knicks in the next draft, it will become two second-round picks.
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