The Oklahoma City Thunder have significantly bolstered their roster this offseason, arguably more than any other team. They first made a steal of a deal by acquiring Alex Caruso. Now, they’ve made another big move by signing Isaiah Hartenstein, the top center available in free agency, to a three-year, $87 million contract. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the story.
After their playoff run, Oklahoma City identified the need for a physical, traditional center to support Chet Holmgren. Hartenstein emerged as the best fit available, despite not perfectly fitting into Oklahoma City’s typical five-out lineups. However, he brings essential skills to the Thunder as a backup: rim protection, physical defense, rebounding, transition speed, and scoring inside. During the playoffs, he averaged 8.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game for New York.
The Knicks, particularly their fans, were keen to retain Hartenstein. However, due to salary cap constraints under the CBA, they could only offer him a four-year, $72.5 million deal ($18.1 million annually). It was expected that a team with ample cap space, like the Thunder, would exceed this offer. This became evident when Nic Claxton re-signed with Brooklyn for four years and $100 million ($25 million per year), setting a higher market standard. The Knicks understood they were priced out and wisely used their financial flexibility to re-sign OG Anunoby.
With these moves, Oklahoma City emerges as a formidable contender next season. They had the best record in the Western Conference last season, gained valuable playoff experience with their young core, and have now added Caruso and Hartenstein to their roster. While the Western Conference is competitive and deep, the Thunder could very well be the team to watch out for.
