Isaiah Hartenstein’s reported deal with OKC should help the Thunder remedy some of their rebounding issues.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder have given their frontcourt a boost this offseason. Per multiple reports, the Thunder have agreed to a three-year, $87 million deal with New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein.
Last season, Hartenstein appeared in 75 games, posting 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks as he moved from a reserve to a starting role after center Mitchell Robinson was lost for portions of the season due to ankle injuries.
ESPN Sources: Free agent C Isaiah Hartenstein has agreed on a three-year, $87 million deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Hartenstein leave the Knicks for the top West seed eager to add his size, skill and physicality. pic.twitter.com/gbOpAw1Gsx
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2024
Thunder executive vice president Sam Presti has been finalizing the details overnight and this morning with Hartenstein’s agents, Aaron Mintz and Andrew Morrison of CAA Sports. https://t.co/e5Kb2MdMVj
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2024
Oklahoma City finished with the best record in the Western Conference and advanced to the West semifinals, where it lost in Game 6 to the Dallas Mavericks. In adding Hartenstein, the Thunder have a frontline rotation that includes Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Jaylin Williams that gives the team sizable heft in the West chase.
The Thunder ranked 27th in rebounds per game (42 rpg) and were 28th in rebound percentage (48.4%) during the regular season and slightly worse in both overall rebounding (41.5 rpg) and rebound percentage (47.5%) in the playoffs. In adding Hartenstein, the Thunder have hopefully addressed that weakness in their game.
Hartenstein had a free-throw rate of 43.0 attempts per 100 shots from the field this past season, up from 21.7 per 100 in 2022-23. That was the biggest jump among 262 players with at least 200 field goal attempts in each of the last two seasons.
Hartenstein is only 26 and one of the league’s best role players, a mobile big who can pass, rebound and defend. That role expanded after Robinson got hurt, and Hartenstein was essential as the Knicks made it to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Thunder were busy in the 2024 Draft, selecting Nikola Topic (No. 12 overall) while trading for two players — Dillon Jones and Ajay Mitchell — in deals with the Knicks. Oklahoma City also added to its backcourt earlier in the offseason as it dealt guard Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls for All-Defensive guard Alex Caruso.
Information from NBA.com’s John Schuhmann was used in this report.
