Isaiah Hartenstein Will Help Chet Holmgren Make Significant Jump in Sophomore Season

With a year under his belt and added help behind him, Chet Holmgren should be prepared to make a leap for the Oklahoma City Thunder next season.

Apr 5, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

There wasn't much more the Oklahoma City Thunder could've hoped to get out of Chet Holmgren's rookie season.

The 7-foot-1 center's start to his career was delayed due to the foot injury he sustained before the 2022-23 season, but the year off could've benefited him more than it hurt him. Holmgren averaged 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 blocks per game in his first campaign, good enough to place second in Rookie of the Year voting.

Holmgren hardly showed signs of being a rookie, immediately asserting himself as an elite shot blocker and highly-skilled offensive player. His unique skillset creates matchup problems against other teams, having the ability to play both inside and on the perimeter on either offense or defense.

Approaching his sophomore season, there's no reason to expect anything else than improvement for Holmgren. He remains one of the top three scoring options for the Thunder alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, and his role should only continue to increase with age.

Beyond having a full season under his belt and natural progression, the signing of Isaiah Hartenstein should also do wonders in helping the 22-year-old having a large jump in his second year.

The former New York Knick was signed with the major intent to help fix Oklahoma City's rebounding problem, which was exposed by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs. But aside from that, he can also help bring stability when Holmgren exits the game, which is a luxury it did not have last season.

A lot was put on Holmgren in regard to the Thunder's interior defense. He was the only true elite paint defender, and once he went to the bench, nine times out of 10 its defense would get worse. Although Jaylin Williams is a solid piece, he wasn't enough to retain the same level of defense.

Hartenstein can do that for Oklahoma City, which allows for Holmgren to have less pressure on the defensive end. He'll still provide the same elite shot blocking that he did in his rookie year, but now he'll also be able to have a larger focus on the offensive end.

There's a whole other avenue Holmgren has yet to tap into offensively. We saw promising perimeter offense and a strong 37% clip from 3-point range, but his role could expand with higher shooting volume and more pick-and-roll opportunities. Even when he and Hartenstein share the floor together, it will allow him to slide into the power forward spot, which should also help grow his offensive game.

Not only did the signing of Hartenstein amongst other moves position the Thunder to remain as top NBA Finals contenders, it helped make the lives of Holmgren and the rest of the team easier. His talent and potential have already shown through, but he now has the proper help behind him.

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