Guard Josh Hart agreed to return the New York Knicks Thursday, exercising his $12.9 million player option for the 2023-24 season, ESPN and The Athletic reported.
Hart, 28, averaged 10.2 points with 7.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 25 games with the Knicks in 2022-23 after he was acquired in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers.
A former 30th overall draft pick in 2017 out of Villanova, Hart has averaged 9.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists in six seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, Trail Blazers and Knicks.
The move comes after the Knicks declined a $15.6 million option on former NBA MVP Derrick Rose last week. At that time, New York reportedly gave Hart an extra five days to decide on his option instead of deciding by his original deadline on Saturday.
If Hart would have declined the 2023-24 option, he would have become an unrestricted free agent.
–Field Level Media