For the longest time, Isaiah Hartenstein has been viewed as the lame-duck starting center for this OKC Thunder team, for the club is beelining their way toward surpassing the second apron in 2026-27, and declining his third-year option has been tabbed as the simplest way to duck under it.
However, the arrival and subsequent sensational play of Jared McCain may turn out to be the reason why the big man surprisingly stays put out in the Sooner State beyond this year's campaign.
During a recent episode of the Game Theory Podcast, show host and seasoned writer for The Athletic, Sam Vecenie, couldn't help but hype up the sophomore for his production with the Thunder since arriving just ahead of the February 5 trade deadline.
During his praise-filled spiel, the long-time McCain advocate admitted that the guard has even exceeded the lofty expectations he had for him following last month's deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.
However, what really stood out in Vecenie's assessment of the 22-year-old's impact on Oklahoma City is that he believes he now makes guys like Lu Dort and Isaiah Joe more expendable, which, in turn, could be the deciding factor in whether to hold onto Hartenstein for another year.
"I think [having McCain] kind of sets them up to be able to move on from especially Isaiah Joe and get off of his $11 million, but I do wonder if it allows them to move off of Lu Dort, particularly," Vecenie said. "If you move off of Isaiah Joe and Lu Dort... It's about [$25.5 million combined], I believe. Do you know how much Isaiah Hartenstein makes on the team option for next year? [$28.5 million]... I wonder if this sets up for a potential opportunity to allow them to keep Hartenstein."
Jared McCain makes Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe more expendable for Thunder
Though turning down Hartenstein's third-year option has been the most popular proposed path toward avoiding any dreaded second apron penalties, it has been far from the only one broached.
Interestingly enough, the concept of offloading Dort via trade has also been one frequently discussed.
Considering his age, inconsistent offensive production, and the fact that OKC has a similarly skilled player at the same position in Cason Wallace, who is up for an extension this summer, throughout the 2025-26 campaign, buzz about the Thunder parting ways with the veteran has already been gaining traction.
With McCain now in the fold and attached to a rookie-scale deal through 2028, the guard rotation seems to not only be getting younger but far more cost-effective.
Should Sam Presti and company not have full faith in red-shirted rookie Thomas Sorber taking over the reins at the five alongside Chet Holmgren next season, holding onto Hartenstein for the duration of his deal, and, instead, offloading Dort and I-Joe may be the more strategic move to make in order to cut down on costs.
McCain's arrival makes this hypothetical scenario all the more plausible.