Knicks Trade Rumors: Josh Hart Dealt to NY; Blazers Get Cam Reddish, 1st Round Pick

The Portland Trail Blazers traded small forward Josh Hart to the New York Knicks on Wednesday in exchange for Cam Reddish and a protected future first-round pick, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Hart, who the Blazers acquired as part of a package from the New Orleans Pelicans for CJ McCollum prior to the trade deadline last season, is signed through the 2022-23 season with a player option for 2023-24.

Hart, 27, is coming off a career season with averages of 14.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.4 three-pointers and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 50.4 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from beyond the arc.

So far this season, Hart is averaging 9.5 points, 8.2 rebounds 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 51 games while shooting 50.4 percent from the floor and 30.4 percent from deep.

The former Villanova standout has spent parts of three seasons with the Pels after getting traded to New Orleans from the Los Angeles Lakers as part of the blockbuster Anthony Davis deal.

Given that Hart has experience playing and defending multiple positions, he has a skill set capable of meshing with many different schemes, making him a highly sought-after asset on the trade market.

While Hart is a quality complementary player who could have been a useful piece for Portland moving forward, the Blazers are perhaps entering a rebuild after trading away McCollum, Robert Covington, Norman Powell and others last season.

Portland still has superstar guard Damian Lillard in the fold, although there have been constant trade rumors surrounding him over the past couple of seasons as well.

The Blazers have a chance to be a playoff team next season and beyond if Lillard stays with the team and remains healthy, but they have a long way to go before they are true contenders.

The road to contention is perhaps even longer now after trading a quality player in Hart who is on the ascent.

The Knicks are a team on the rise thanks to the arrival of Jalen Brunson and resurgence of Julius Randle, so it comes as little surprise that they were buyers at the deadline.

New York already has a strong nucleus led by Brunson, Randle and RJ Barrett, and Hart gives the Knicks a quality role player who can contribute down the stretch and into the playoffs.

The Knicks may not quite be in the same class as the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks, but they perhaps inched a bit closer with the acquisition of Hart.