Josh Hart still isn’t shy about disliking his role with the Knicks, specifically the way he’s not used much on offense outside of transition and catch-and-shoot opportunities.
It’s not ideal, not how he envisioned it. He still pushes back at suggestions that he’s a power forward.
“F–k no,” he reiterated Thursday. “I’m a guard.”
At only 6-foot-4, it’s an understandable take. It’s not exactly fun to bang in the paint with Giannis Antetokounmpo before becoming a spectator on offense.
But after a couple months of angst — and a couple public airing of grievances earlier in the season — Hart told The Post that he’s finally embraced the sacrifice.
“Yeah, it took me 40 games. It’s a process,” said Hart, who entered Thursday’s game against the Nuggets averaging just 6.5 shot attempts. “Obviously it’s not something I thought it was going to be like entering the year. But it’s where we’re at. Now it’s just you got to sacrifice and do some of that.”
Neither Hart’s production nor minutes are much different since OG Anunoby’s arrival. If anything, they’re worse.
Before the deal, Hart was averaging 7.5 points and 5.9 rebounds in 28.4 minutes on 45 percent shooting — including just 33.7 percent from beyond the arc.
After the trade and heading into Thursday’s matchup against the Nuggets? Averages of 27.5 minutes, 6.4 points and 7.9 rebounds on 37.5 percent shooting (26.7 percent on 3s).
But roles are much easier to recognize and accept when a team is winning.
Plus, Hart on the court has translated lately to rousing success for the Knicks.
He is part of the “Death Lineup” that had been, heading into Thursday, the main reason the Knicks were the best fourth-quarter team since the New Year.
“Just be cool with whatever the team needs whether I like it or not,” Hart said. “Things can change, you never know. But that’s kind of what they needed me to do and kind of like, all right I’ll do it.”
In Tuesday’s win over the Nets, for instance, Hart struggled until the final minutes, when his block and rebound were key parts of the most consequential play of the evening.
Tom Thibodeau is appreciative.
“It was a great hustle play. … Those things are hard to measure. Those are great hustle plays. If you look at his stat line it’s not going to stand out and grab you,” the coach said. “But I say this all the time about net rating per 48 minutes … over a period it is significant and it does tell you something. When you look at his net rating over the course of the season [plus-7.7 heading into Thursday, good for third on the Knicks], you see how much he stands out.”
Hart may not be totally thrilled about being the energy guy who doesn’t see much of the ball.
But now he’s not going to fight it.
“Still trying to find spots. Pretty similar in terms of position and those kinds of things but right now I’m just not worrying about any of that, about anything I can’t control,” Hart said. “Just focusing on going out there and playing. Playing with energy. Playing fast.”