Analyst: Knicks Got Better After Losing Starting Center

The New York Knicks have had a net positive this offseason.

Nov 8, 2023; New York, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) controls the ball against New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks had some major wins this offseason, signing OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson to long-term extensions while also trading for Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets.

However, the loss of Isaiah Hartenstein, who signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder for three years and $87 million in free agency, will hurt the Knicks. Some think that New York got worse by losing him.

However, Bleacher Report writer Dan Favale disagrees. He believes the Knicks improved this offseason despite losing Hartenstein in free agency.

"Isaiah Hartenstein is gone. That matters. But [Julius] Randle and Mitchell Robinson (31 appearances) should be healthier. That matters, too. And while you could pencil in a slight regular season regression for the sake of playoff preservation, you should also know better. [Tom] Thibodeau teams aren't programmed that way," Favale writes.

Hartenstein fit the Knicks like a glove when he was inserted into the starting lineup after Robinson suffered his ankle injury and had his subsequent surgery. The Knicks never skipped a beat, and appeared to become a better team. Hartenstein was just a natural fit as a screener for Jalen Brunson and he protected the rim at a very high level, better than Robinson. And it even got to the point where Hartenstein remained in the starting lineup even when Robinson became healthy.

Now, the Knicks will rely on Robinson once again to start at center for them. They are comfortable with that fit, but his health problems could come back to bite him again. He re-injured his ankle in the playoffs and had to get a second surgery, so there's hope that he won't have to deal with it again.

The Knicks will have to adjust without Hartenstein, but there is hope that the new acquisitions and the current setup for the team will be enough to keep New York exactly where it was at No. 2 in the Eastern Conference. Who knows? Maybe there's a chance they could jump to No. 1?

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