Josh Hart believes he has earned a starting role in the NBA. Still, the veteran forward said Tuesday he is prepared to come off the bench if that’s what the New York Knicks need.

“I had the best year of my career last year, but that’s in the past,” Hart said. “I think I’m a starter in the league. I think I deserve to be a starter in the league, but at the end of the day, it’s what’s best for the team.”

Hart, who averaged 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists last season, pointed back to the message of sacrifice that defined his approach last season and said it would be wrong to shift away from that now.

“Last year, I talked about sacrifice the whole time and kind of being that separate mentality and being a good steward of my gifts and those kinds of things,” Hart said. “So I think it would be extremely selfish for me to go out there and demand to start and all those kinds of things. So, whatever Mike wants to do or doesn’t wanna do, I’m cool with. And time will tell what that is, but I’m gonna figure it out.”

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Hart, who led the league in minutes per game last season and set a Knicks record for triple-doubles, enters camp at the center of the team’s biggest preseason question. The Knicks must decide who will claim the final starting spot. Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns are expected to anchor the lineup, with Hart, Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride and Guerschon Yabusele among the candidates for the fifth position.

New head coach Mike Brown said he won’t make an immediate decision.

“The starting lineup will materialize throughout camp,” Brown said. “The front office did a fantastic job putting together a talented and deep roster, and so you have to have a methodical approach when it comes to saying, ‘Hey, these guys are going to start.’”

Hart’s willingness to shift roles is not new. In last season’s playoffs, he suggested to then-coach Tom Thibodeau that he move to a reserve role in the Eastern Conference finals, allowing Robinson to join the starters and pushing Towns to power forward.

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The Knicks are expected to feature more depth under Brown, who has a history of using larger rotations. Thibodeau, fired in June after five seasons, often leaned on a tight seven- or eight-man group, leaving his starters with the heaviest workload in the league.

“If you look at what I’ve done in the past, it’s usually 9 ½ to 10 guys. I try to play as many guys as I can,” Brown said. “I’m going to try to play who is going to help us win, and I’m going to try to get guys an opportunity.”

The Knicks added Yabusele, Jordan Clarkson, and Malcolm Brogdon this offseason, while Robinson has returned healthy, giving Brown more options than his predecessor.

Players used Tuesday’s media session to also reflect on Thibodeau’s tenure, which included New York’s first conference finals appearance in 25 years. Brunson described his departure as “sad” given their close relationship, Bridges said he sympathized with Thibodeau losing his job, and Hart credited him for helping him elevate his career.

New York opened camp Wednesday with its deepest roster in years — and with one starting spot still up for grabs.

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