New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein is expected to be one of the top players teams will go after in the upcoming NBA free agency. Ideally, the Knicks would end up keeping the big man, but other teams are expected to pry him away from New York, and one team that has been recently floated as a potential threat to the Knickerbockers’ chances of retaining Hartenstein is the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Via Stefan Bondy of the New York Post:
“The Thunder is viewed by NBA sources as the top threat to pry Hartenstein away from the Knicks in free agency. After finishing atop the Western Conference with 57 wins in the regular season, Oklahoma City can make a stronger bid for Hartenstein than the Knicks, who are capped out but can offer a starting salary of roughly $17 million using their Early Bird Rights.”
Isaiah Hartenstein boosted his stock during the New York Knicks’ 2024 NBA Playoffs run
Hartenstein signed a two-year, $16 million deal with the Knicks back in 2022, which turned out to be a nice bargain of sorts for the team. In the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Hartenstein averaged 8.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 0.9 blocks per game while shooting close to 60 percent from the field.
The Thunder have both Bismack Biyombo and Mike Muscala on expiring contracts, and their looming departure would thin out Oklahoma City’s frontcourt. Hartenstein could be a nice fit alongside Chet Holmgren on the Thunder’s starting frontcourt, with Hartenstein providing the muscle and bringing blue-collar qualities to Oklahoma City, which reached the second round of the 2024 playoffs.
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