Isaiah Hartenstein Made 'Tough' Decision to Leave Knicks
The New York Knicks are looking on sad to see Isaiah Hartenstein leave the team to sign with the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency.
The Knicks offered Hartenstein the most they possibly could, a four-year, $72.5 million deal. However, the Thunder came in with a superior offer of $87 million over three years, giving Hartenstein no choice but to follow the money and head to Oklahoma City.
While Hartenstein signed with the Thunder, it wasn't an easy choice.
"Heard from multiple people how tough a decision it was for Hartenstein to leave the Knicks," New York Post reporter Stefan Bondy tweeted. "He really wanted to stay. Loved his time with Knicks. Difference in average salary is almost double though, plus cost of living is cheaper in OKC."
Hartenstein is now making $29 million per year, which is a huge raise from the $8 million per year he made with the Knicks on his two-year deal that he signed back in the summer of 2022. In an ironic twist of fate, Hartenstein is now making more per year annually than Jalen Brunson, who was a big reason why the big man earned such a large contract.
Hartenstein thrived with the Knicks, especially this past season when he was thrust into the starting lineup following an injury to Mitchell Robinson. He averaged 7.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game with the Knicks, but the box score doesn't tell the whole story. He was extremely productive in the pick-and-roll and in protecting the rim, which made him a big part of the Knicks' success this past season.
The Knicks wanted to keep him, but the Thunder also had their eye on him for the same reasons New York wanted him to stay. Now, he'll end up doing the same for the Thunder, teaming up with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for screens and allowing Chet Holmgren to play more on the perimeter.
Some goodbyes can be rough in the NBA, but this isn't one of them. Hartenstein should be grateful for the Knicks for his development and commitment to him.
JEREMY BRENER
Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.