Blame Jalen Brunson, says Jalen Brunson.
The Knicks captain believes Josh Hart’s shaky preseason and his recent comments that he feels “lost” in his current role, those issues are on Brunson.
“I have to be a better leader and make sure he’s ready to go by game one,” the ever-accountable point guard told The Post on Sunday after practice as the Knicks prepare for Tuesday’s regular-season opener on the road against the defending champion Celtics. “It’s on me.”
Hart expressed his disappointment Friday, after finishing four exhibition games with just two points on six field goal attempts across 90 minutes.
The current starter suggested the Knicks could even move him to the second unit, though with the news that forward Precious Achiuwa will be out 2-4 weeks with a strained left hamstring, that seems unlikely.
“I feel like Josh is a very unselfish person. There may be times he thinks, ‘I need to get somebody else involved,’ ” Brunson said of Hart — his college teammate, close friend and podcast cohost. “But from my point of view, I just feel like we need to be better as teammates to make sure we’re all on the same page or we’re all giving each other confidence regardless. That starts with me.”
Brunson declined to say if he thought Hart would benefit from coming off the bench, saying, “That’s his opinion.”
Hart said earlier in training camp that he would have to adjust, after the additions of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, to a more secondary role as a hustler and offensive connector.
He understood there would be fewer offensive opportunities for him this season.
“I won’t lie, it’ll be frustrating at times for sure, but at the end of the day, I think we don’t go far, we don’t win without having to sacrifice, and I think that’s just something I’ll have to sacrifice,” Hart said.
Last year, he averaged 9.4 points on 8.4 shots per game, numbers which went up in the playoffs, partly due to injuries around him.
It should be noted that Hart made similar comments early last season, that he couldn’t get in a rhythm because he never touched the ball, and went on to have a strong year.
But so far, it has been a frustrating transition for him. Coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t seem alarmed by Hart’s comment, or worried about any struggles he has had so far this fall.
“We’re a new team and we’re going through preseason, so there’s a lot for all of us to figure out,” Thibodeau said. “He’s fine. It’s the same role he’s always had. That role doesn’t change. Just get out there and help the team.”
Thibodeau wouldn’t reveal much about any conversations he’s had with Hart behind closed doors, but nothing has changed about how the coach views him.
He’s still a big part of this team, even if the preseason didn’t go as Hart hoped.
“He’s going to be playing with both units. I always liked that about his game, his versatility,” Thibodeau said. “The same holds true for everybody. I like that we can mix and match. We have guys that will be on the bench that are basically starters. I like that aspect of our team. Just get out there, get better each day. The better you practice, the better you’ll play. It’s really pretty simple.”