How Chet Holmgren Must Respond Amid Isaiah Hartenstein Injury

What was supposed to be a great pickup for a fix of the Thunder's rebounding issues in Isaiah Hartenstein will now be void for the incoming weeks of the start of the season. How does this impact Chet Holmgren?

Oct 9, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) drives around Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

If there's a good litmus test to see if a player has improved year to year, the situation Holmgren will now be put in is a pretty good determinator of that.

With Isaiah Hartenstein being sidelined to a small fracture in his left hand during the Thunder's preseason bout versus the Denver Nuggets, Holmgren will have to assume that same role as he did a year ago when shoved into the thick of rebounding responsibilities as a rookie. Hartenstein was brought on to alleviate some of that burden, and he showed his ability to do that in the games leading up to his injury.

This pins Holmgren in a much similar situation as a year ago, which was immediately highlighted in the first game of the season versus a dominant rebounding tandem in the Chicago Bulls' Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond. Holmgren was exposed in that first game of his career, but he didn't let it deter him.

A year later with great experience coming into his sophomore season, Holmgren's growth and strength as a rebounder will be tested, and will have implications on the Thunder's early-season success much like last year, but his nature would tell you he's up for the battle.

A near eight rebound per game average a year ago saw him with decent numbers in that regard, but an array of instances throughout the year and the ultimate demise of the team versus the Dallas Mavericks saw the primary culprit being the lack of a rebounding presence. Holmgren, surely, has since made that a priority -- and he'll be ready to assume that same responsibility in Hartenstein's absence as Oklahoma City makes due before a highly anticipated season.

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