Veteran New York Knicks forward Josh Hart lost his starting role to Mitchell Robinson in the latter stages of the 2025 NBA playoffs, and could see his minutes diminish further in the 2025-26 season in light of the team acquiring Jordan Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele and Malcolm Brogdon.
All that said, Hart is still viewed as the heart and soul of the Knicks, and it’s hard to foresee the franchise moving on from him. However, if they did, they’d have to justify the move by bringing back a player with a comparable skillset: Denver Nuggets swingman Christian Braun, who competes with a similar passion on both ends.
Sports Illustrated’s Ethen Hutton proposed a trade that would see the Knicks acquire Braun and two other young players with upside from the Denver Nuggets, to go with a protected 2031 first-round draft pick.
Knicks would receive: Christian Braun, Zeke Nnaji, Peyton Watson, 1st round pick
Nuggets would receive: Josh Hart
Should Knicks Trade Josh Hart?
In two-and-a-half seasons, Hart has averaged 11.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists, proving to be the ultimate glue guy for the Knicks. However, the team could be staring at a huge payroll down the road, and trading him could be a wise call, Hutton argues.
Not only do the Knicks add a cheaper starter [Braun] to its starting lineup, who offers greater efficiency from the backcourt, despite lesser rebounding ability, but they also add two pieces to the bench. New York also receives a first-rounder for its loss of Hart, a very competitive package for a key contributor,” Hutton wrote.
The Knicks manage to shave a few bucks off the books, add three young players who they can move on from as soon as next offseason, and are entering the 2025-26 season in a great spot with a new-look rotation featuring far greater depth.
Nuggets Hesitant to Pay Braun?
The Nuggets have over $140 million invested in just four players — Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Cameron Johnson — entering the 2025-26 season. To make matters worse, they are on the clock with Braun, who will become a restricted free agent in 2026, and could command huge offer sheets from teams with cap space.
Hutton argues that Nuggets may have no option but to part with Braun.
“While Braun has developed into a solid piece around Jokic, Denver has missed a player who offers consistency in the postseason, such as Hart. Hart maintains his production in the playoffs, while frequently rising to the occasion in big moments. He boxes out, rebounds, runs the floor and checks all the boxes for a contending team entering a new era under David Adelman.
Hart is a versatile piece who can contribute on both sides of the floor for a Denver squad whose defense efficiency has regressed over the past several seasons.”
According to The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, Braun could command a five-year deal in the range of $125-$145 million when he becomes a restricted free agent in 2026. The Nuggets, who’ve hesitated to pay a lot of their role players in recent years, could be forced to let Braun walk, an opportunity the Knicks could seize.
Knicks Trade Pitch Swaps Josh Hart for Young Trio with Upside