Knicks lose key player to Thunder in free agency

Nov 20, 2010; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder logo on a players shorts during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center. The Thunder defeated the Bucks 82-81. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder have had their eye on Isaiah Hartenstein for a while, and they have officially managed to pry the big man away from the New York Knicks.

Hartenstein on Monday signed a three-year, $87 million deal with the Thunder, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Knicks wanted to keep Hartenstein, but they only held his early Bird rights. The most New York was able to offer was $72.5 million over four years, and they reportedly did just that. They were simply unable to compete with Oklahoma City’s offer financially.

For those in doubt, the Knicks offered Hartenstein the full four-year, $72.5 million deal they could, according to a league source. He elected to test out free agency. The Knicks never pulled the offer. They wanted him back. They just weren't allowed to pay him enough.

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) July 1, 2024

Hartenstein is an elite defensive big who stepped into a huge role for the Knicks after Mitchell Robinson went down with an ankle injury in December. The 26-year-old Hartenstein averaged 7.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while shooting 64.4% from the field. He was one of only three players in the NBA with at least 85 blocks and 85 steals.

The Thunder badly needed to address their size issue this offseason, which is why they had been viewed as the most logical landing spot outside of New York for the 7-foot, 250-pound Hartenstein.

The Knicks had reportedly been shopping Robinson in trade talks, but that will likely change now that Hartenstein has departed.