Predicting where the NBA's top 20 free agents will play in 2024–25
By Dalton Sell
19. Isaiah Hartenstein - OKC Thunder
For months, it felt like Isaiah Hartenstein's time with the New York Knicks may not extend beyond the 2023-24 NBA season, as the big man played himself into a nice raise. One team that could offer him a new paycheck and a prominent role is the OKC Thunder.
According to Yahoo Sports NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Thunder have been mentioned as the most prominent landing spot for Hartenstein. This isn't too surprising, as after falling short in the playoffs vs. a much bigger Dallas Mavericks team, size was clearly going to be quite high on OKC's off-season priorities list. They simply need bigger bodies in the frontcourt, and Hartenstein fits the mold.
The recently-turned 26-year-old would fit seamlessly with this group, giving them a big man capable of playing tough defense down low, rebounding at an extremely high level and scoring at a solid rate right at the hoop. Adding a rebounder will be crucial, given that the Thunder were 27th in rebounds per game during the regular season. Hartenstein could help bump that up several ticks.
Oklahoma City should be willing to spend big to lure Hartenstein away from New York. They were one of the top teams in the NBA this past season, and filling a prominent role in the frontcourt could make them even more lethal moving forward.