After acquiring Mikal Bridges through a blockbuster trade, the New York Knicks lost a key player in NBA free agency: starting center Isaiah Hartenstein, who has chosen to join the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Reports indicate that Hartenstein preferred to stay with the Knicks but had compelling reasons to leave. Stefan Bondy of the New York Post revealed that Hartenstein couldn’t refuse the Thunder’s offer of $87 million over three years. The Knicks did their best to retain him, offering $72.5 million over four years, but this was significantly less, amounting to a $10.9 million difference per season compared to what he will earn in OKC.
Despite his preference to stay in New York, especially with the excitement surrounding Bridges’ arrival, Hartenstein sees potential in the Thunder’s prospects for the 2024-25 season and could play a crucial role in their title aspirations.