The Oklahoma City Thunder have long been interested in Isaiah Hartenstein, and they have successfully lured the big man away from the New York Knicks.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Hartenstein signed a three-year, $87 million deal with the Thunder on Monday.
The Knicks wanted to retain Hartenstein but only held his early Bird rights, limiting them to a maximum offer of $72.5 million over four years. Despite making this offer, they couldn’t match Oklahoma City’s more lucrative proposal.
A league source confirmed that the Knicks did offer Hartenstein the full four-year, $72.5 million deal. He chose to explore free agency and ultimately opted for the Thunder’s higher offer. The Knicks never retracted their offer and were eager to keep him but couldn’t meet his financial expectations.
For those in doubt, the Knicks offered Hartenstein the full four-year, $72.5 million deal they could, according to a league source. He elected to test out free agency. The Knicks never pulled the offer. They wanted him back. They just weren't allowed to pay him enough.
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) July 1, 2024
Hartenstein is a top-tier defensive big man who stepped up significantly for the Knicks after Mitchell Robinson suffered an ankle injury in December. The 26-year-old averaged 7.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while shooting 64.4% from the field. He was one of only three NBA players with at least 85 blocks and 85 steals last season.
The Thunder, needing to address their size issue, were seen as the most logical destination for the 7-foot, 250-pound Hartenstein outside of New York.
With Hartenstein’s departure, the Knicks’ plans to trade Robinson will likely be reconsidered.
