Free agent center Isaiah Hartenstein has agreed to a three-year, $87 million deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, sources tell ESPN. He leaves the New York Knicks for the top West seed eager to add his size, skill and physicality.
Hartenstein, 26, established himself as a starting quality center this past season for the Knicks, stepping into that role for New York after Mitchell Robinson suffered an ankle injury in December.
Hartenstein became a key part of a magical season for the Knicks, who won 50 games as well as a playoff series for a second straight season for the first time since 2000. He averaged 7.8 points and 8.3 rebounds, playing in 75 games — including 49 starts — while shooting 64.4% from the field.
Hartenstein was one of just three players last year with at least 85 blocks and 85 steals and he held opponents to shooting below 53% at the rim. Along with elite defense, Hartenstein possesses impressive vision and playmaking ability for a center, although that aspect of his game didn’t feature prominently in Tom Thibodeau’s offensive system.
Hartenstein opened his career playing two seasons for the Houston Rockets, before bouncing around to the Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Clippers ahead of signing a two-year deal with New York in the summer of 2022.
Because the Knicks only have early bird rights on Hartenstein, the most New York could offer him was four years, $72.5 million.
ESPN Stats & Information and Tim Bontemps contributed to this report.
