A major component of the New York Knicks’ playoff runs of the last couple of years, Isaiah Hartenstein, is now a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The deal was made official on Monday morning as it was reported that Hartenstein met with the Thunder in Oregon the night before, and the deal was confirmed the next morning.
The Thunder signed Hartenstein for three years and $87 million, good for an average annual value of about $29 million. That was $13 million more than the Knicks could offer him, as they were tied down to a contract with an average annual value of $16 million due to Hartenstein’s Early Bird Rights.
Now, Hartenstein jumps from one contender in New York to another in Oklahoma City. The West is more stacked than the East, and the Thunder, having already won the Conference last year, are possibly in an even better position to win it again and make a deep run with this acquisition.
Elevating the Knicks
Hartenstein’s presence in the lineup elevated the Knicks’ success.
Hartenstein initially saw limited playing time with the Knicks during his first year, as he primarily came off the bench, starting on rare occasions. His signing with the Knicks was seen as a low-risk, high-reward move after he left the Los Angeles Clippers in 2022 for similar reasons than he did the Knicks this year.
But the 2023-24 season was his breakout year. Hartenstein was able to see more playing time due in part to the injury to Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks’ primary defender. He went down in December 2023 with an ankle injury and missed several months before returning shortly before the playoffs.
That injury allowed Hartenstein to step in in his place, and he made a big impact. Standing seven feet tall, he is the same height as Robinson and a similar build, but where Robinson’s lack of offense came into play, Hartenstein filled that role.
