No team has probably helped itself more this offseason than the Oklahoma City Thunder. First they traded for Alex Caruso on a steal of a deal.
Now this: The Thunder have signed the best center available on the free agent market, Isaiah Hartenstein, for three years at $87 million, a story broken by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Hartenstein’s agents Aaron Mintz and Drew Morrison of @CAA_basketball closed on deal with Sam Presti in early hours of Monday, sources said. Huge offseason for Thunder in adding two of league’s best role players — Hartenstein and Alex Caruso. https://t.co/kZE7zn5ULT
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2024
After the playoffs, OKC recognized the need for a physical, more traditional center to backup Chet Holmgren — Hartenstein was the best version of that available. He doesn’t fit Oklahoma City’s traditional five-out lineups, but he does a lot of other things the Thunder need in a backup — protects the rim and is physical on defense, rebounds, runs in transition, and can score around the rim. In the playoffs, he averaged 8.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per night for New York.
The Knicks — especially Knicks fans — wanted to keep Hartenstein, but the CBA limited them to a four-year, $72.5 million offer ($18.1 million a year). It was expected from the start that a team with cap space (like the Thunder) would come in at a higher number, then it became entirely clear when Nic Claxton re-signed in Brooklyn at four years, $100 million ($25 million a season) and set the market. The Knicks knew they were out (and wisely used their financial flexibility to re-sign OG Anunoby).
Oklahoma City is a clear title threat next season. The team had the best record in the West last season, its core picked up valuable playoff experience — plus, they are young and will just develop with age — and they added Caruso and now Hartenstein. The West will be deep and talented, but the Thunder could be the team to beat.
