According to insiders, Isaiah Hartenstein, 26-year-old center has become a free agent and apparently agreed on a year profitable contract with Oklahoma City Thunder valued at $87m. Consequently, the new move separates him from the New York Knicks since they want to add his huge size, great skills and strong physical presence into their team.
Hartenstein rose to prominence as a reliable starting center for the Knicks this past season, taking over from Mitchell Robinson who was injured in December. The Knicks had an enthralling campaign that saw them win 50 games and consecutive playoff series for the first time since the millennium began, with Hartenstein playing a key role in it. Throughout last season, he averaged 7.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest while hitting about 64.4% of his shot attempts in 75 matches played where he started in 49 of them.
It is worth mentioning that Hartenstein was one of only three players during the previous season who managed to register at least eighty-five blocks and eighty-five steals, thus enabling him to limit opponents’ scoring below fifty-three percent at the rim. His defensive play is complemented by exceptional vision and ability to create plays, but Tom Thibodeau’s offensive strategy overlooked these features.
Hartenstein began his professional career with two years of playing for the Houston Rockets before moving to the Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and LA Clippers. In summer 2022, he signed a two-year contract with the Knicks.