Slowly but surely, as he continues to churn out solid playoff performances, Isaiah Hartenstein is making it harder and harder for the Oklahoma City Thunder to let him go this summer. Hartenstein has an expensive team option, but the Thunder are in a tough financial position, so they will have a brutal decision to make about the big man’s future in OKC.
That said, based on the way Hartenstein has performed in the postseason, it could be hard for the Thunder to part ways with him. OKC hasn’t lost a playoff game yet, and Hartenstein has been nothing but solid for them off the pine, giving them a ton of rebounds, great screens, and quality defense.
It’s not easy to find those things in the NBA, and considering how well Hartenstein has fit in with the Thunder, it will be hard to let him walk.
Isaiah Hartenstein is making it hard for Thunder to let him go this summer
OKC is going to deal with some second-apron issues in the next couple of seasons. They have a ton of expensive contracts on the books, and Hartenstein’s is definitely one of them.
Hartenstein’s team option next season is worth $28.5 million. That’s a lot of money to be paying a big man, especially when the Thunder already have Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams on the roster.
Should they decide to let him walk, Williams could get more minutes, and even a guy like Branden Carlson could step up and play a bit more for the Thunder moving forward.
But even then, it’s hard to replace what Hartenstein brings to the table. A quick glance at this year’s playoffs, and it becomes clear how important he is to the Thunder’s success.
Hartenstein is a rebounding machine, cleaning up almost everything that comes his way on the glass. And though Holmgren is a solid rebounder, having two guys who can grab boards is better than one.
Plus, his screening is crucial for the Thunder. Springing guys like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ajay Mitchell, and Jalen Williams open is much easier with a big body like Hartenstein on the offensive end.
And though Holmgren is a great defender, he’s a different type of defender than Hartenstein. He’s not nearly as good at banging down low with some of the best bigs in the NBA.
Whether it’s simply accepting his team option and eating the cost or finding a way to re-sign Hartenstein to a cheaper contract, the big man is making it very hard for the Thunder to let him walk this summer.
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