When the Knicks decided to sign Isaiah Hartenstein Two years ago, when he was a free agent, he was expected to come in and serve as a great complementary player off the bench alongside Mitchell Robinson.
However, with Robinson’s continued injury issues, Hartenstein ended up taking on an even larger role than expected and established himself as a key piece in their rotation going forward.
The 26-year-old got an extended start in the lineup for the first time in his six-year NBA career last season and made the most of it, posting some of his best numbers across the board.
Hartenstein was a key piece in New York’s deep postseason run and prepared nicely for the offseason, averaging 7.8 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 64 percent from the field.
The Knicks made a strong effort to bring him back and keep him in the Big Apple long-term, but since there was more money to be made elsewhere, he decided to sign with the Oklahoma City Thunder on a three-year contract.
Hartenstein explained that difficult decision while speaking to reporters at his introductory press conference Saturday afternoon.
“If I’m honest, it was tough,” he said. “I love my teammates in New York, I really appreciate everything (head coach) Thomas) Tibodeau and Lion (Pink) did it for me and the fans in New York showed me so much love.
“But from afar I always saw what the culture was like since they came to OKC, they established the culture and the style of play, it’s something that really excites me and I think I can really expand my game here.”
Hartenstein expects a smooth transition and is excited about the reigning Coach of the Year winner. Marco Daigneault They will use him on both ends of the court in their system.
One of the most important things he looks forward to is playing alongside a dynamic youngster. Chet Holmgrenwho finished second in Rookie of the Year voting after a stellar performance last season.
“I’m really excited to see that,” he said. “Maybe I have to do a little bit more dirty work so he can relax a little bit, but it’s really exciting, he’s one of the most talented centers in the NBA and I think he and I together on the court are going to be very lethal.”