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The Oklahoma City Thunder finished atop the Western Conference in 2023-24 before disappointingly bowing out in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. Regardless, there's a bright future for this young, exciting squad.
And knowing Sam Presti, they could very well make some moves this offseason to strengthen the roster. New York Knicks big man Isaiah Hartenstein happens to be a free agent and given the Thunder's cap space, they're a “real” threat to steal him from NY.
Via Stefan Bondy:
“It’s real,” an NBA source said of OKC’s interest in Hartenstein.
The Thunder have more cap space than the Knicks, making them a potential landing spot for Hartenstein. Also, Chet Holmgren isn't a natural center, which means he could shift back to power forward if Hartenstein were to sign with OKC.
Would Hartenstein be good fit for Thunder?
As Bondy pointed out, Hartenstein was a starter for the first time last season. He put up impressive numbers though, posting averages of 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per contest.
He proved to be an important piece for the Knicks after Mitchell Robinson went down with a season-ending injury. ESPN's Bobby Marks projected Hartenstein will fetch in the ballpark of $13-14 million per season, which fits for the Knicks. However, loads of teams, including the Thunder, have money to spend and could pry him away.
While he may not be a huge scoring threat, Hartenstein is big, strong, and can bang with the best of them down low. That's something that the Thunder have lacked at the five. Yes, Holmgren has done a nice job at the position but again, it's not a natural spot for him and his playstyle is different.
NBA insider Kurt Helin reported that the “bidding war” for Hartenstein could start at $20 million per season:
“The expectation around the league is that some team with cap space and in need of a more traditional center will come in over the top and offer more — north of $80 million and closer to $90 million for four years — and Hartenstein will take it…That leaves a lot of teams with cap space eyeing Hartenstein and an expectation in league circles that the bidding will start at $20 million a season, or four years, $80 million, which is more than the Knicks can offer.”
Hartenstein definitely increased his value this past season. He's a traditional center, which could be a nice fit for a lot of teams. The Thunder could also keep Holmgren at the five and have Hartenstein back him up, but that wouldn't make a lot of sense if they're going to pay him in the ballpark of $20 million per year.
While there's been buzz that Oklahoma City could trade up for UConn big man Donovan Clingan, who is 7 foot 2, Hartenstein probably makes more sense because of his experience and versatility at the five.
The Thunder have a wonderful core who are ready to contend for many years to come. Adding Hartenstein to the fold could be a great move. Whether he ends up with Oklahoma City or not, the former second-round pick is set for his first big payday.
