Josh Hart is choosing to keep playing, even if it means dealing with pain in his right ring finger for the rest of his NBA career.
The New York Knicks wing said Thursday that he will not undergo the surgery once expected to repair the injury he has battled since the 2025 postseason. According to Hart, doctors have told him that the damage has progressed to the point where the only real surgical solution is a full joint replacement; a procedure that would prevent him from continuing to play professional basketball.
Hart explained that a replaced joint would not be able to withstand the repeated stress of NBA competition.
“You can’t have the banging, repetitive [motion],” Hart said. “Grabbing a rebound, palming it, shooting, catching the ball, doing all that: You can’t do that. So, if I did a joint replacement, then I wouldn’t be able to play.”
Josh Hart fully explains the situation with his finger and why a joint replacement would lead to him needing to retire
“Either joint replacement, let it go, or amputation” 😭 pic.twitter.com/OXIwkNMnSd
— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 1, 2026
The injury dates back to the 2025 playoffs. Hart underwent surgery that offseason, but then re-injured the finger during a scrimmage before the 2025-26 season. He played that entire campaign with the finger protected by a splint or wrap, expecting at the time that another procedure might eventually fix the problem.
Instead, doctors delivered a much more difficult diagnosis this summer. Hart said the finger has continued to deteriorate and now causes unpredictable discomfort. Some days, he said, it feels close to normal. On others, simply catching the ball or making a fist can hurt. The injury has also affected a nerve and has left the finger visibly crooked.
Yet the 31-year-old has decided that playing through the issue is preferable to ending his career.
“I guess it’s either wrap it till I retire or cut it off,” Hart joked. “I guess that’s the other option.”
The remarkable part is that the injury did not stop Hart from producing last season. He shot a career-best 41.3 percent from three during the regular season while wearing the brace and remained an important part of New York’s championship run.
Hart said he expects to continue protecting the finger for as long as he remains in the NBA, then undergo the joint replacement after retirement.
