The New York Knicks knew this day was coming deep down, but it didn't make it sting any less. Center Isaiah Hartenstein left for the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency, and New York will most likely downgrade at the position heading into next season.
Knicks shooting guard and resident comedian Josh Hart used humor to deal with the pain, via X.
“You are dead to me Zay,” Hart tweeted. “I never liked you anyways. But congrats on the bag!”
This, of course, couldn't be further from the truth. Hartenstein guested on Hart and New York superstar Jalen Brunson's podcast in March. The three friends discussed various topics, such as Hartenstein's surprising racial makeup and other funny stories, via The Roommates Show.
While Hartenstein may appear on the show again, it'll no longer be as a teammate. The seven-footer is a significant loss for the Knicks, as he was a vital presence in the center rotation with Mitchell Robinson often injured. He average 7.8 on 64.4% shooting with 8.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists across 25.3 minutes per game last season.
How will New York deal with the fallout of losing one of its most reliable rotation pieces?
Hartenstein was a necessary sacrifice in the Knicks' ascension
New York did all it could to retain the 26-year-old, but the Thunder had more funds, via The Athletic's Fred Katz.
“For those in doubt, the Knicks offered Hartenstein the full four-year, $72.5 million deal they could, according to a league source,” Katz explained. “He elected to test out free agency. The Knicks never pulled the offer. They wanted him back. They just weren't allowed to pay him enough.”
Due to rules in the new league's new collective bargaining agreement, New York wasn't allowed to go past that offer, via CBS Sports' Sam Quinn.
‘The Knicks signed Hartenstein for only two years in 2022,” Quinn explained. “That meant, from the moment they got him, that they would be limited in their ability to re-sign him because he would only have Early Bird Rights as a 2024 free agent instead of full Bird Rights. Those Early Bird Rights allowed the Knicks to only offer him a 75% raise on his previous salary in a new deal, which amounted to a bit more than $16.1 million next season and $72.5 million over four years.”
Oklahoma City offered him a three-year, $87 million deal, with the first two years guaranteed. That divides out to an average of $29 million per year, while the Knicks' offer was only $18 million. Combined with the lower cost of living in Oklahoma, the decision was a no-brainer financially for Hartenstein.
However, despite the pay raise, it wasn't an easy choice emotionally, via SNY's Ian Begley.
“This was a tough decision for Hartenstein – he loved the city, loved his teammates, loved the organization and what happened here last year,” Begley said. “If this wasn't a team in Oklahoma City that was ready to contend, it might have gone differently. The idea that Hartenstein can go and compete for a title in OKC factored into his decision. The Knicks certainly made it tough, according to people familiar with the matter.”
Although Hartenstein loved New York, the league's salary cap and contractual rules made it difficult for the team to retain him, especially after the Mikal Bridges trade and the OG Anunoby extension.
Contingency options left on the free agent market include Mo Wagner, Gogia Bitadze, Dario Saric, Drew Eubanks, and James Wiseman. Expect the Knicks to make another move at the position to supplement its depth.
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