The aftershock of this past trade deadline's Anthony Davis deal could ultimately have a direct impact on the OKC Thunder this coming offseason, as Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes believes Isaiah Hartenstein could be at risk of being whisked away by the now center-needy Mavericks.
In a recent piece penned by the seasoned analyst, I-Hart was branded as an expected "top 2026 free agent target" for Dallas following Thursday's trade cut-off.
Thunder big Isaiah Hartenstein tabbed as possible Mavericks target
Hughes' reasoning here is rather simple, for the Mavs' big man depth is now rather unreliable, what with AD's departure, Dereck Lively II's injury concerns, and the front office's perceived willingness to move on from Daniel Gafford this trade season.
On top of this, considering the fact that the cash-strapped Thunder will need to make some rash payroll decisions this summer to try and duck under the second apron, Hartenstein and his $29 million club option may sadly have to be sacrificed to help clear their books.
In this perfect storm scenario, where the Mavericks still need to strengthen their pivot spot and the beloved OKC big man becomes available, it's only logical that the two parties would be interested in joining forces.
An established veteran with championship experience, Hartenstein's arrival would only help up the club's odds of re-entering the postseason contender category as soon as 2026-27. Not only will Kyrie Irving already be back in the fold by then, but rookie phenom Cooper Flagg will be entering his second season with much-needed experience under his belt.
Speaking of Flagg, clearly, the objective for the Mavericks moving forward is to surround the forward with complementary talents.
Hartenstein may not be a star in a technical sense, but his willingness to ground and pound for rebounds (averaging 9.5 boards and 3.1 offensive rebounds per game over the last three seasons), protect the interior (2.2 blocks per 100 possessions for his career), and his impressive abilities in the distribution game (averages 5.2 assists per 100 possessions for his career) all would be a great luxury alongside him during a playoff-hopeful season.
As Hughes put it, the pairing of the 27-year-old with Flagg could, in a sense, create a similar dynamic to the one he currently has with Chet Holmgren on the Thunder, as his presence would once again allow a rising star four to work his magic without much competition on offense while simultaneously having the freedom to "roam on D."
Though seeing Hartenstein join on with this direct conference threat would be tough for Thunder fans to see, for him and Dallas, it could prove to be quite a stellar fit.