At the beginning of the 2024 NBA Free Agency period, the Oklahoma City Thunder struck big on the signing of former New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein.
On a three-year, $87 million deal, Hartenstein brings his size and talent to a Thunder team looking to contend for a title.
All It Took was a Chance
In 2021, Hartenstein, then 23, was coming off a season where in 46 games with the Denver Nuggets and Cleveland Cavaliers, he averaged 5.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in limited playing time.
In his 16 games late in the season with Cleveland, however, he averaged 8.3 points and 6.0 rebounds while playing 17.9 minutes per game. A steep increase in stats from his first 30 games that season with Denver.
The 2021 offseason passed by, and in August Hartenstein remains unsigned. He then decides to host a workout in Las Vegas, where the Cavaliers, Nets, Clippers, and yes, the Thunder had scouts in attendance. This workout is one of the crucial factors that kept his NBA career alive.
Fast forward to September, training camps are beginning and Hartenstein remains unsigned. This was until the Los Angeles Clippers gave him the chance he deserved. They signed him to a training-camp deal on September 11th, which led to him spending the entire 2021-22 campaign in Los Angeles.
In 68 games with the Clippers that season, Hartenstein averaged 8.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 stocks (steals + blocks). His performance earned him a two-year deal with the Knicks that offseason.
Hartenstein, in a recent Instagram story, stated he wouldn’t be where he is at in his career without the late Jerry West. West was a member in the Clippers organization when Hartenstein was given his chance in 2021.
More Than the Box Score
Hartenstein has shown his whole career that his impact shines beyond the box score, and that is especially true for his past season with the Knicks. On the stat sheet, Hartenstein averaged 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.3 stocks in 75 games (49 starts) with the Knicks last season.
Hartenstein’s screening is among the best, he is a great passer as a center, and his advanced metrics are phenomenal. Whatever role he will play in OKC will fit with the team perfectly.
Hartenstein as a screener was extraordinary for the Knicks. It was also helpful to the supernova that was the season of guard Jalen Brunson. The Thunder have a strong drive-and-kick focused system, which screening is useful for. All-NBA guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drives more than any player in the league, so Hartenstein will be a valuable asset for his screening alone.
Hartenstein is strong as a passer and combined with his screening, is useful in plays involving dribble-hand-offs (DHOs). With the Thunder utilizing playmaking with all of their big men, this is just another example of how he is a perfect fit for Mark Daigneault’s system.
https://twitter.com/OKCskittles/status/1817195195907088747
Hartenstein was ranked 26th in box plus-minus last season with +3.5, making the Thunder one of only two teams (Boston) that have five players in the top 50 for the stat.
Thunder fans seem to be excited but realistic about their expectations for Hartenstein. As the replies of this question Thunder Lead asked show.
https://twitter.com/ThunderLead/status/1816236356584009853
https://twitter.com/playoffcity/status/1816336286481055827
Top Signing
Isaiah Hartenstein is the biggest free agent the Thunder have ever signed. He passes Patrick Patterson‘s three-year, $16.4 million deal signed in 2017. Furthermore, $16.4 million to $87 million is quite the jump for the Thunder free-agent record.
The Thunder visited Hartenstein at his home in Oregon, attempting to settle the deal. Undeniably, it worked to perfection, with the Thunder making the signing official the next day.
Hartenstein joins Alex Caruso as additions for the Thunder this offseason. Chiefly making them one of the strongest winners of the offseason.
In short, whether it be on the bench or in the starting lineup, Hartenstein will make the Thunder one of the teams to beat.
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