How the OKC Thunder Can Get Isaiah Hartenstein More Involved

Hartenstein started his Thunder campaign off strong and could provide a unique interior scoring skillset for OKC.

Feb 24, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

To say the OKC Thunder have a wide net of offensive threats might be an understatement.

From an MVP candidate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Jalen Williams and a recently budding Aaron Wiggins, the backcourt of OKC has not struggled at all to put the ball in the hoop.

The frontcourt is a different story, specifically at the center position. Young big man Chet Holmgren is back in action, but is showing the versatility to play forward. Isaiah Hartenstein, OKC's only true center, hasn't been as involved offensively compared to when he started his Thunder campaign.

That could be for a variety of reasons. For starters, OKC's guard depth, along with Williams, is arguably the best in the NBA. When they are the focus of the offense, getting the ball to Hartenstein with the intent to score doesn't always come about. But, when three-point shots aren't falling and the guards aren't picking up their slack, there might be a role for Hartenstein to step into.

Hartenstein is a skilled scorer in the paint and is crafty enough to get open and create his shot. Not only that, he is an even more skilled passer and if neccesary, can act as an offensive hub for moving guards. He made this exact impression in his opening stretch of regular season games, starting on Nov. 20 against the Portland Trailblazers.

His four assists and 13 points might not jump out at people right away, but the way he scored and created space for his teammates as a passer made all the difference in the world. His natural size and intelligence with the ball in his hands created passing lanes for his teammates and scoring lanes for himself.

The issue with Hartenstein's offensive usage recently is partly due to the on-ball nature of Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Wiggins. Those three are known for creating their shot with off-ball movement to get open and dribble combinations to create space. Those aren't always categories Hartenstein can aid in.

It's also partly due to his aggressiveness. He's averaging 8.4 shot attempts per game this season but is only averaging 7.5 per game over the last month. If he can get back up to his normal number of attempts, his scoring will naturally increase.

Hartenstein never stopped getting looks, but Gilgeous-Alexander and the rest of the ball-dominant scorers on the team have been called upon more recently. When you have guys on your team like Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams, they need the ball in their hands when the game gets close.

He also hasn't seen that same production as a passer and playmaker. It's something he excels at and could help get off-ball guards open when needed. He does it when he can, but it's not what he's primarily asked to do now.

Hartenstein hasn't been nonexistent and has still been an impactful player for OKC throughout the season, but there is no denying that he hasn't been the same as he was in his first two months of play. Whatever it must be, something needs to happen for Hartenstein to get back to that level for OKC to find continual success.

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