Generally speaking, the OKC Thunder are rarely a hot destination for players on the free agency market.
Though they may have an enviable track record of postseason success and have rostered some of the game's most impressive young talents for the better part of the last five years, considering their small market, historically, they've been somewhat of an afterthought for players looking to migrate.
However, this past summer, Sam Presti and company found themselves partaking in a somewhat unusual happening, as they wound up snatching up arguably the most coveted big man on the open market in Isaiah Hartenstein via a three-year, $87 million deal.
The biggest free agent signing in franchise history, Oklahoma City's decision to add the veteran center to their arsenal was viewed as an overall net positive, as they desperately needed to address their interior presence and lack of size down in the frontcourt (two factors that played major roles in their earlier than expected postseason ouster last year).
Through four months, it has become more than apparent that Hartenstein has been a true luxury within the Thunder's rotation, as he ranks sixth on the team in defensive rating, fifth in net rating, and second in box plus-minus out of those who have played 30 or more games while averaging 10.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.1 blocks on 56.4 percent shooting along the way.
And while the signing of the 26-year-old has proven to be seriously beneficial for OKC from an on-court perspective, throughout this same span, it's also become quite evident that this offseason move has come to the detriment of his former employers, the New York Knicks.
Knicks have not been the same since Thunder signed Isaiah Hartenstein
Though from a talent perspective they may appear to be in a more desirable situation following Isaiah Hartenstein's departure, as it forced Leon Rose's hand in trading for superstar big Karl-Anthony Towns as a replacement option down at the pivot, from an on-court and advanced metrics standpoint the big man's absence has clearly taken its toll on the Knickerbockers.
Now, granted, KAT's addition is undeniably a major upgrade for New York from an offensive perspective, as they rank third in the league in offensive rating at 118.9 (+1.6 compared to 2023-24), fifth in points per game at 117.7 (+4.9), and third in points in the paint at 53.6 (+4.7).
However, on the defensive end is where his presence is unquestionably missed, as they have fallen from 10 in defensive rating to 21, sixth to 20 in opponent points in the paint, and second to 14 in opponent points per game.
Now, granted, the Knicks have also been without key pieces like Mitchell Robinson who, with him in tow, would likely see a clear improvement in every one of the aforementioned areas of play.
However, it's certainly hard not to see a correlation between their slide on defense and the departure of Hartenstein, who ranked first on the team among starters (minimum 30 games played) in defensive rating (109.9), blocks (1.2), and plus-minus (+6.7).
The cherry on top is the fact that they are 3-7 against the other teams ranked within the top-six in points per game meanwhile, with Isaiah Hartenstein in tow, the Thunder are 7-2 against teams using these same parameters.
Coincidence? We think not!