Isaiah Hartenstein's addition to this OKC Thunder team has been nothing short of tremendous.
Though initially tabbed as a traditional big-bodied center, with every passing game the 26-year-old continues to prove that he's more than just a size upgrade for this ball club.
Thursday's bout against the Raptors served as the most recent example of the big man playing beyond this short-sighted preseason narrative, as he was an invaluable contributor during Oklahoma City's 129-92 route over Toronto.
While he may have shied away from scoring (dropped just 2 points on three attempts), during his 28 minutes of play Hartenstein once again found a way to make his presence felt in virtually all facets of the game, as he finished his night off with 16 rebounds, 6 assists (a team-high), 1 steal, and 1 block.
Through six games played, Hartenstein is easily shaping up to be one of the league's best free agency pickups of this past offseason, and, following their lopsided win over the Raptors, head coach Mark Daigneault further strengthened this sentiment by gushing over the impact that the big man has already managed to have on this Thunder squad.
Mark Daigneault praises Isaiah Hartenstein's impact on Thunder
"His impact is undeniable. I think he does a great job of being who he is every single night on defense, on the glass, as a system player on offense, as a facilitator. He's a very consistent performer and I thought he had another consistent game tonight," Daigneault said.
Following a career-year with the New York Knicks last season, one where he posted 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.1 blocks a night, Hartenstein was snatched up off the open market this past summer to a three-year, $87 million deal.
Said payday is officially the richest deal the Thunder have ever agreed to with an outsourced player in free agency.
Though some analysts were initially skeptical about such a lofty investment in a career backup, from his preseason production to his impressive regular season showings Hartenstein has already seemingly shown himself worthy of every penny he's earned.
In 30.0 minutes a night, the 7-footer is posting career-highs all across the board with averages of 13.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.5 blocks while shooting 57.4 percent from the field.
With him aboard, Oklahoma City has allowed just 39.1 points in the paint per game, boast a 2.54 assists-to-turnover ratio, and hold a net rating of 15.4, all of which rank first in the NBA since I-Hart debuted with the Thunder back on November 20.
For those who have been watching over the last couple of weeks, it should come as no surprise that these three metrics (along with many others) have risen exponentially compared to when Hartenstein was sidelined for the first month of the campaign with a fractured left hand.
Fans and pundits have been quite vocal about the positive effects the big man has had on this OKC team already, and it's now more than evident that coach Daigneault is aware and in awe of his "undeniable" impact as well.