Knicks have other options after Isaiah Hartenstein leaves for Thunder

Even a reasonable warning couldn’t save the New York Knicks.

Isaiah Hartenstein is unceremoniously gone, headed to Oklahoma City to compete for a title with the Western Conference’s current No. 1-seeded team, and his previous team will have to look elsewhere for a replacement.

Hartenstein agreed to terms on a three-year, $87 million contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, league sources said. athleticShams Charania. But New York, which had signed Hartenstein to a modest contract a few summers earlier, felt that the departure of its starting center was inevitable.

Due to a quirk in the collective bargaining agreement, the Knicks were capped as to how much they could pay Hartenstein. They could not offer more than $72.5 million over four years – and only $64 million of that money could be guaranteed. Once the NBA Finals ended, when front offices could begin negotiating with their free agents, the Knicks offered Hartenstein top dollar, a league source said. The 26-year-old chose to test free agency anyway, as he felt more attractive bids were on the way.

he was right.

According to league sources, prior to the start of free agency, Hartenstein’s side informed the Knicks that they should expect other offers from New York at the top. The 7-footer has maintained throughout the process that, all things being equal, he wanted to return to the franchise that helped him break out.

Hartenstein signed a two-year, $18 million deal with the Knicks just a few summers ago, but under his tutelage he developed into Jalen Brunson’s favorite pick-and-roll partner, a defensive dynamo and an analytics darling. But as much as the Knicks wanted to keep Hartenstein, as much as he considered returning, the money difference was too great.

The Knicks never made Hartenstein their offer, a league source said, even though they had planned for his exit.

Unless they make a significant trade, they already have next season’s starting center planned: Mitchell Robinson.

None of the remaining free-agent centers approach Hartenstein’s potential. The list includes (in no particular order) Goga Bitadze, Mo Wagner, Daniel Theis, Thomas Bryant, and Mo Bamba. Other 2024 free agents Nicolas Claxton, Jonas Valanciunas, Andre Drummond, Drew Eubanks, Kevin Love, Mason Plumlee and Luke Kornet have already agreed to terms with other teams.

One name to watch is Precious Achiuwa, an unrestricted free agent who played admirably as a backup center and power forward for the Knicks last season.

New York decided not to extend Achiuwa a qualifying offer, which would have made him a restricted free agent, but made the decision solely because it was better for the team’s cap flexibility. The Knicks are leaving open the possibility of re-signing Achiuwa, a league source said. If Achiuwa returned, he would play behind Robinson.

The Knicks still have Jericho Sims under contract.

They can use the $5 million taxpayer midtier exception to sign someone. They can also explore the business market. They have trade exceptions worth $6.8 million and $5.2 million, meaning they can include players who earn up to that salary in trades without sending any money.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau’s ethos is rim protection. He builds his security around it. It’s hard to imagine a world in which the Knicks fail to prioritize protecting the paint, even when they’re loaded with perimeter stoppers including OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo and Miles McBride.

Robinson was in the midst of his best season when he suffered an ankle injury in December, an injury that required surgery and sidelined him for four months. Robinson had another surgery on the same ankle in the spring.

He’s a shot blocker, suffocating the paint with long weapons, suffocating opponents who drive to the basket or run pick-and-rolls. Thibodeau is arguably one of the best offensive rebounders. When he was on the court last season, he caught 17 percent of his team’s missed shots, a figure that would have been second in the league if they had played enough games to qualify.

But what about their health? Robinson has played in more than 66 games only once in his six pro seasons.

Despite a limited offensive profile, Robinson was the Knicks’ starting player until his injury. Hartenstein took over shortly afterwards and never regained the role.

Because of his on-point passing and feathery floater, Hartenstein, along with All-NBA guard Brunson, emerged as half of the Knicks’ preferred pick-and-roll combination. Opponents may not feel comfortable sending two defenders on Brunson, who could throw a pass off center to him for a push shot, a swing to an open 3-point shooter or a dish to a cutter.

The Knicks didn’t lose much on the other side with Hartenstein in the first unit. The advanced statistics made him one of the most powerful defenders in the NBA. He finished second in the league in defensive projected plus-minus. Opponents shot only 52.5 percent on dunks and layups when he was the nearest defender, ranking sixth out of 95 qualifying players in the NBA who contested at least three games.

Who preceded Hartenstein? His new partner, Chet Holmgren.

As tempting as the money may be, Hartenstein wasn’t just looking for a life-changing payday. He also looked for an ideal basketball fit. Chances are, he wasn’t leaving the Knicks for a place where he couldn’t thrive, even if that place offered a higher salary.

But Hartenstein was built for the Thunder, who needed reinforcements to protect the rim and glass. Now they have found it.

Hartenstein could play alongside Holmgren, who became one of the league’s most feared shot blockers as a rookie in 2023-24. Some of the larger ones can intimidate regular painters.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma City plays a particular style that relies on quick decision making. The Thunder Screen is fast, cuts fast and passes fast. Hartenstein, whose biggest attribute is his processing speed, should ease into his new role, whether working with Holmgren, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.

The signature represents a deviation from the OKC norm. Before Hartenstein, the most money the Thunder paid to another team’s unrestricted free agent over three years was a mere $16 million, which they paid Patrick Patterson in 2017.

Due to the recent trade for Bridges, which has not yet been finalized, the Knicks will be given a tough shot this season, although it is not yet clear at what number. If the deal does not go as currently planned, by sending Bojan Bogdanovic and a bundle of draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Bridges, New York could generate no more than $178.1 million in payroll, which would be used for the “first apron”. Known as.

Currently, the team is just $5 million short of that. However, the Knicks may edit the Bridges acquisition, sending more money than they are taking in and thus being hard-capped at a higher number, $188.9 million, a limit known as the “second apron”. goes.

Hartenstein, 26, averaged 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists last season.

(Photo of Michelle Robinson and Precious Achiuwa: Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)