The Big Apple, and the New York Knicks, are ready to not only welcome Jalen Brunson to the fold, but Isaiah Hartenstein. A truly wild start to the 2022 NBA free agency period for New York's favorite team.

The Knicks have been one of the main NBA storylines this offseason. They jumped through a variety of hoops on draft night in an attempt to open up cap space. The franchise shipped off Kemba Walker, Nerlens Noel, and Alec Burks in order to make this possible.

The Knicks succeeded in making financial room and managed to secure Jalen Brunson to a lucrative long-term deal. While this was the highlight of the offseason, New York also added a pair of 24-year-old centers to their 2022-23 roster. The Knicks resigned Mitchell Robinson to a four-year $60 million deal with the expectation of him being the starting center.

While Robinson is sure to take the majority of the reps, New York also added Isaiah Hartenstein to the bench unit. The former Clippers standout will have his role carved out for him with Nerlens Noel no longer being with the franchise.

Isaiah Hartenstein 2-year, $16.7 million deal with Knicks graded

Grade for Knicks: B

Having a quality backup center is more important than it is given credit. Having a guy that can anchor the defense and pull down rebounds with the starters off the floor is very valuable. Isaiah Hartenstein is a valuable asset in this regard. The 7-footer had his most effective season as a pro last year. In his 68 games with the Clippers, he averaged 8.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.1 blocks. Hartenstein also teases long-range ability as he shot 14 for 30 (46.7%) over the course of last season.

There also is an intriguing playmaking ability in his game. The big man averaged 4.7 assists per 36 minutes which was 4th amongst centers last season. He possesses good vision and is not afraid to try a more advanced pass. While the Knicks certainly will not be planning on playing through Hartenstein, this is an enticing element to add to the offense.

At 24 years old, there is still a great deal of upside to look forward to. The former 43rd overall pick has made improvements each season in the pros and had the best year of his career with the Clippers. He is more than capable of being a key part of the second unit and the hope would be for him to keep developing.

Grade for Isaiah Hartenstein: B-

The writing seemed to be on the wall in Los Angeles when they elected to bring back Ivica Zubac. Hartenstein and Zubac are fairly similar in their play and constantly battled for minutes last season. Finding a new location where he has a more defined role will be a good thing for Hartenstein. The 7-footer has an intriguing ability that can play alongside just about any style of player.

It has been an interesting journey for the German-American. After being born in Oregon, Hartenstein moved to Germany where his father played professional basketball. He had a non-traditional route to the NBA as he passed up college in order to begin his pro career. The 7-footer played in Germany and Lithuania before declaring for the draft in 2017. Since being drafted in the second round, Isaiah Hartenstein has bounced around to a few teams. He has played in nearly 100 G-League games and clocked minutes on four different NBA franchises. Despite the winding path, the former second-round pick is only 24 years old.

Given his turbulent path, it has to feel great to have some security. A 2-year deal worth $16.7 million is a solid paycheck for a backup center in today’s NBA. Hartenstein should feel comfortable with his new home and still has the potential to outplay his value. If he can continue progressing and building off the strong performance from last year, he could play his way into a low-end starter role.

For the time being his focus will be on backing up Mitchell Robinson. Regardless, Isaiah Hartenstein is a solid backup big man and one that is sure to play a role for the Knicks moving forward.