The New York Knicks made a number of moves this 2023 NBA Free Agency, letting Derrick Rose walk away and then signing Donte DiVincenzo to reunite him with his Villanova pals Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart. However, there's no denying that the most crucial move they made was keeping Hart via his player option.

The Knicks surprised many NBA fans with their spectacular 2022-23 campaign, advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals behind the sensational play of Brunson. New York's prized 2022 signing from the Dallas Mavericks propelled the team to 47 wins in the regular season and a five-game upset of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round. And despite losing to the Miami Heat in six games, it was still a successful season for the team with guys like Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett cementing themselves as critical pieces in the future.

Of course Hart was a big part of that incredible run. The Knicks' underrated and underappreciated trade deadline move for him has paid off big time, and this NBA free agency decision to stay in New York speaks volumes of how much he's buying into the team.

Josh Hart exercises $12.96 player option

Hart is not the typical wing who is a knockdown outside shooter or athletic high-flyer, but he does the dirty work that often results to victories. It was a calculated risk to sign him because he only had a player option left on his contract, which he opted into last June 29 before free agency started. Hart could have left in free agency, but he chose to return to the Big Apple for at least one more year.

Hart and the Knicks could have easily agreed on a new long-term contract because Hart deserves to be paid higher than the mid-level exception with his immense contributions in the couple of months he played with New York. The main rationale on why he likely opted into his player option is for the Knicks to accommodate and sign DiVincenzo to a four-year, $50 million deal.

The three Villanova boys are reunited in the Knicks with Brunson, Hart and DiVincenzo all in one team. Does that mean they will try to sway Mikal Bridges' mind and convince him to move to the Knicks and form the Villanova quartet? That remains to be seen, but that will be a delightful sight for any New York fan.

The main reason why Hart's player option was the best move for the Knicks is it showed his sacrifice and his priorities in his NBA career. Even if he has not even completed one whole season in New York, it showed how much he loves the city and the organization for him to give up  a couple of million of dollars for the betterment of the roster.

Another franchise would have likely swooped in for DiVincenzo's services if the Knicks could not offer $50 million. The Knicks do need both Hart and DiVincenzo, so the package deal worked out in the end for their squad. It was evident throughout the season that the Big Apple franchise had a gaping hole in the wing position, as there was a time when Quentin Grimes played all 48 minutes in a postseason contest.

The front office did a brilliant job prioritizing keeping Hart and signing DiVincenzo, who can both be part of the closing lineup for a postseason-contending team. With the salary cap expected to grow every season plus the likely probability that Hart's ascension will continue, he may very well earn a bigger and longer contract in the 2024 offseason.

The Knicks looked like they were going back to being the NBA's laughingstock after a dismal 2022 campaign, but the outlook is optimistic for the new nucleus in the Big Apple.