Can Isaiah Hartenstein Find a Role in the Rockets' Playoff Rotation?

Isaiah Hartenstein averaged 18.6 minutes per game in early January, but he was inactive for the Rockets' last 10 games before the COVID-19 suspension.

There was a moment in the 2019-20 season when Isaiah Hartenstein appeared to be a legitimate member of the Rockets' rotation. The 22-year-old center averaged 9.3 points and 18.6 minutes per game from Dec. 28 through Jan. 15, a period in which Clint Capela battled injury and Tyson Chandler struggled. 

But as the trade deadline approached, Hartenstein's role diminished. He logged just 18 minutes in all of February, and he didn't play in any of the Rockets' final 10 games before the NBA's COVID-19 suspension. Can Hartenstein find a role if the season resumes? He may face an uphill climb. 

D'Antoni's decision to ditch Hartenstein wasn't due to the young center's talent. Hartenstein does have his defensive limitations–he's a foul machine in limited minutes–but there's little doubting his offensive skill. He's a legitimate vertical threat in the pick-and-roll with either James Harden or Russell Westbrook, and he's shown a deft touch at the rim. Hartenstein has even shown some ability to stretch the floor, though he remains constrained inside the arc. So why did Hartenstein get yanked from the rotation? The decision was largely stylistic.

"I’m in a tough situation where we went from where I was playing good, and then we went to small ball," Hartenstein told Rockets broadcaster Craig Ackerman on May 13. "Finally thought that I had cracked the rotation and was playing good enough, and they just thought it was better to go small ball. Whatever they think will help them win, I’ll support them whatever they do."

Jan. 27 marked the first day of the Rockets' micro-ball era, but in reality, the push toward undersized lineups began as the calendar turned to January. The Rockets thrived in units with P.J. Tucker at center, a natural evolution for D'Antoni after leading the Seven-Seconds-or-Less movement in Phoenix. Capela was traded for Robert Covington on Feb. 4, officially removing the lone rotational center from Houston's roster. D'Antoni's methods have been questioned, but in the first month of the Rockets' experiment, his decision paid off. It's hard to see Hartenstein–or any big man–making a sizable impact in the playoffs.

D'Antoni has shied away from centers in the last two months of 2019-20, though the Rockets still made a concerted effort to accumulate frontcourt bodies. They acquired Jeff Green and DeMarre Carroll after the trade deadline, and young forward Bruno Caboclo has significant length (though he is unlikely to play due to a lack of experience). Green and Carroll–and Thabo Sefolosha–should see the floor in the postseason. Hartenstein's path to playing time is unclear.  

We won't see Hartenstein on the floor if the Rockets face the Clippers in the postseason, with the matchup likely to feature plenty of small-ball from both sides. But are we so sure Hartenstein wouldn't be useful in small doses against a slate of Western Conference powers? The Lakers often sport a twin towers look with Anthony Davis and one of JaVale McGee or Dwight Howard. Houston had no answer for Mavericks center Kristaps Porzingis in the regular season, and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is an All-NBA talent. Jazz center Rudy Gobert may be an exception considering Russell Westbrook's success against the French Rejection. But the Rockets could run into serious trouble against the best big men in the West.

Hartenstein should see an increased role in 2020-21, and he should return from the offseason with a sturdier frame and better footwork. There's a case for him to appear in the 2020 playoffs, but considering D'Antoni's short rotation, he may spend the rest of 2019-20 riding the bench. We'll have to wait and see whether Houston's small-ball revolution pays off as Hartenstein waits for his opportunity.