Isaiah

Hartenstein

Hartenstein is heading back West after multiple seasons in New York. He was excellent when Mitchell Robinson was out last season, and now he’ll fill out the center minutes behind Chet Holmgren. Hartenstein will provide OKC with a bigger center to help match up with players like Nikola Jokic out West. He won’t be as productive in fantasy, but he will be an important part of the team’s rotation. In New York, Robinson and Jericho Sims are the only centers currently on the roster. That could mean that another move is coming for them, but right now, it’s looking like Robinson will see a minutes boost.

Everything seems to be coming together for the Knicks. Less than 24 hours after trading for Mikal Bridges, they are able to bring Anunoby back on a long-term deal, giving them one of the most formidable perimeter defenses in the league. Assuming both Bridges and OG start alongside Brunson and Randle, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo will likely come off the bench. New York also may struggle to bring back Isaiah Hartenstein now that they have committed so much money to Anunoby. However, they now have one of the deepest rotations in the league and still have two first round picks to add more talent.

The joy Knicks fans felt in the immediate aftermath of the Mikal Bridges trade was somewhat tempered by the report on Hartenstein. Given how well he played this season, the 7-footer will command a significant payday once he hits free agency on June 30, and New York is limited in what they can offer iHart since the team does not hold his Bird rights. Losing Hartenstein would impact Mitchell Robinson, whose name has recently come up in trade rumors. Robinson can be an excellent fantasy center due to the rebounds, blocks, and field goal percentage, but availability has been an issue for most of his career.

The Knicks didn’t count on Hartenstein for consistent scoring, but his production dropped considerably as their second-round series progressed. The 7-footer went scoreless in Game 7 and did not attempt more than three shots in any of the final four games. Give Myles Turner and the Pacers credit for taking away Hartenstein’s beloved floater, and they did a better job of keeping him off the glass after iHart grabbed 17 rebounds in Game 5. Hartenstein earned himself a nice payday once he hits free agency this summer. The question is whether or not the Knicks will offer a contract that is large enough to keep him in the fold. With Mitchell Robinson’s injury history, it may take a lot for the Knicks not to get iHart re-signed.

After he and the Knicks failed to bring the required energy to the court in Game 4 on Sunday, Hartenstein was outstanding on Tuesday. The 7-footer, who stands to command a hefty contract in free agency this summer, grabbed 12 of New York’s 20 offensive rebounds and finished with 17 overall. Hartenstein’s 12 offensive boards tied a franchise playoff record that Charles Oakley initially held. With Tuesday’s 30-point victory, the Knicks will take a 3-2 series lead to Indiana for Game 6 on Friday night.

Hartenstein wasn’t effective in Game 4, and things got even worse when he fell hard on his left arm/shoulder after attempting a layup. The good news for the Knicks is that he remained in the game, with the minutes total impacted more by the state of the game than the injury. However, with a host of Knicks already sidelined, the last thing the team needs is to lose another key rotation player. Following the game, iHart said he may have a pinched never in his shoulder, but X-rays were negative. Hartenstein said he’ll be fine for Game 5 on Tuesday, but don’t be surprised if his name appears on the initial injury report.

Hartenstein was outstanding in Game 2, finishing two assists shy of a triple-double while committing just one turnover. Jalen Brunson not being at full strength after injuring his right foot during the first half may not have impacted iHart, positionally speaking. Still, his ability to serve as a secondary playmaker was one of the reasons why the Knicks remained within striking distance. Hartenstein and the Knicks take a 2-0 series lead to Indianapolis, where Game 3 will be played on Friday night.

Robinson’s season is likely done, since the earliest he could return would be Game 6 of the NBA Finals, based on this timeline. He only played 12 minutes in Game 1 of this series, with Isaiah Hartenstein logging the majority of the minutes at center. Precious Achiuwa may log a few minutes off the bench, but Hartenstein will continue to be the primary center option.

Anunoby may have scored 17 points in Thursday’s Game 3 defeat, but Sunday’s performance was his best of the series. In addition to recording his first double-double, OG combined with Precious Achiuwa to shut down Joel Embiid during the fourth quarter. With Isaiah Hartenstein (8/4/2/1 in 28 minutes) sitting due to foul trouble, Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa (1/7/2/0/4 in 19 minutes) combined to limit the reigning MVP to one point on 0-of-5 shooting in the final period. It’s unknown if Mitchell Robinson (ankle) will be available for Game 5 on Tuesday, but the Anunoby/Achiuwa tandem gives Tom Thibodeau another strategy to consider.

New York’s series lead was trimmed in half on Thursday, but that should not overshadow Anunoby’s night on the offensive end of the floor. After scoring 21 points on 9-of-20 shooting in the series’ first two games, he made 63.8% of his shots in Game 3 and chipped in with 17 points. With Mitchell Robinson exiting at halftime with a sprained ankle, the Knicks will need more production from Anunoby, even if he doesn’t play the same position. That’s also the case for Isaiah Hartenstein, who battled through foul trouble and finished with 14 points, four rebounds, and one assist in 26 minutes. Game 4 of the series is on Sunday in Philadelphia.