3 Thunder who could fall out of starting rotation in 2024-25

Isaiah Hartenstein

On just the second day of NBA Free Agency, the Thunder managed to snatch up perhaps the most highly-touted available big on the market, Isaiah Hartenstein.

Following a career year with the New York Knicks where he dropped 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.1 blocks through 75 games played, initial expectations heading into the summer were that the sixth-year role player could be in line for a substantial pay-rise, with some projecting he could fetch offers in the $20 million-per-year range.

With their ludicrous amount of cap space, Oklahoma City blew the doors off these original rumblings, as they signed Hartenstein to a lucrative three-year, $87 million deal.

For many reasons, this agreement was a smart move for the 26-year-old, as he not only set himself up for substantial long-term financial stability but also simultaneously received perhaps his best chance to win an NBA title in the near future.

However, even with all these notable incentives, in signing with the Thunder over other frontcourt-needy teams (Orlando, for instance, was rumored to be an interested organization), Hartenstein may have lessened his odds of serving as a starter.

While his status as the club’s second-highest-paid player may suggest he’s destined for a starting nod, considering he’s a traditional center, there are legitimate concerns over how a frontcourt tandem of him and their current franchise pivot Chet Holmgren will mesh running alongside one another.

Sure, the idea of rolling out two 7-footers at the same time is certainly enticing, especially considering one of their biggest weaknesses last season was their lacking size, but establishing more brute force and receiving an uptick in physicality shouldn’t be the primary reason for his insertion into the starting five, especially when considering they are just coming off a season where they claimed the top-seed in the Western Conference standings whilst being vertically challenged.

If it were 20 years ago, there would likely be little hesitation about throwing Hartenstein into the lineup alongside another towering center, as size and big-man domination was the name of the game.

That said, in the modern era, pace and space scheme reign supreme, and while the vet does add some seriously beneficial contributions, speed and perimeter shooting are not reliable attributes found within his arsenal.