5 weeks in the past, throughout his marathon end-of-season press convention, Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder basic supervisor Sam Presti defined why they did not commerce for an enormous man throughout the season. Many observers thought they need to have, because the Thunder weren’t sturdy on the glass, however by solely taking part in bigs Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams collectively for “2.5% of our possessions,” Presti stated, “we acquired a top-five protection, so I would not need to lose the end result of a top-five protection in pursuit of looking for the following Wayne Embry.”
This was no disrespect to Embry, the Corridor of Famer nicknamed “The Wall” who set bone-crushing screens and will field out anyone. He’s one in every of Presti’s mentors. The purpose was that, regardless of ending the common season ranked No. 27 in defensive rebounding share, Oklahoma Metropolis was nonetheless an elite defensive group. It did not have the sheer dimension of, say, the Minnesota Timberwolves or Orlando Magic, however it had tons of size, velocity and switchability. No group compelled extra turnovers, and no group held opponents to a decrease discipline objective share on the rim. Past that, the good thing about taking part in Holmgren on the 5 was apparent: The Thunder, a median offensive group in 2022-23, have been the third-most environment friendly group within the NBA.
Presti stated that they needed to “watch out,” particularly in-season, to not assume that they might “simply preserve all the nice elements” of the components that labored so effectively “and convey the ground up on one thing else.” He additionally, nonetheless, stated that they don’t seem to be “making an attempt to show anyone improper,” suggesting that, in the event that they noticed a possibility so as to add an enormous man who would make them higher, they’d do it.
“We’re on the lookout for the gamers that assist us keep our strengths and would increase the ground on our limitations,” Presti stated.
Evidently, Presti and his entrance workplace consider Isaiah Hartenstein is such a participant. On Monday, Oklahoma Metropolis signed the 7-footer who broke out with the New York Knicks final season to a three-year, $67 million contract, as first reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania. (The contract is front-loaded, and 12 months 3 is non-guaranteed, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Put up.) This can be a huge wager on a man who was drafted No. 43 seven years in the past, spent his first professional season (and far of the following two) within the G League, bounced across the NBA after that and has by no means been an opening-night starter. Due to Hartenstein’s talent set, although, it might repay enormously.
On protection, what Hartenstein brings to OKC is simple. He is extra outfitted than Holmgren to protect burly 5s, he is one of many league’s greatest drop-coverage practitioners and he is as ready and communicative as any backline defender. When he was on the courtroom final season, New York rebounded 74.4% of its opponent’s misses, which is an identical to the Sacramento Kings‘ league-best defensive rebounding share. He completed second in defensive estimated plus-minus, per dunksandthrees.com. Between his arrival and the current addition of Alex Caruso (fourth in defensive EPM), the Thunder have gone from a top-tier defensive group to a completely terrifying, doubtlessly historic one.
Oklahoma Metropolis did not lose its second-round collection in opposition to the Dallas Mavericks due to protection, although. It misplaced as a result of, as Presti stated, it “dropped off considerably offensively,” which he referred to as “the shock of the postseason.” In six of the Thunder’s 10 postseason video games (together with their first-round sweep in opposition to the shorthanded New Orleans Pelicans), they scored 108.2 or fewer factors per 100 possessions. That quantity is worse than the Charlotte Hornets‘ Twenty eighth-ranked regular-season offensive ranking.
On the floor, anticipating Hartenstein to enhance the offense appears a bit unusual. If any group subscribes to the offense is spacing, and spacing is offense philosophy, it’s Oklahoma Metropolis. Even earlier than Holmgren stepped on the ground, coach Mark Daigneault ran a 5-out offense and tried to overwhelm opponents with drive-and-kick after drive-and-kick. In a career-high 1,896 regular-season minutes final season, Hartenstein tried three 3-pointers and made one in every of them.
Hartenstein, although, is the sort of participant that makes you ponder bizarre questions like,”What is the distinction between taking pictures and spacing?” For years, he has been at his greatest offensively when used as a facilitator. Should you’ve heard colour analysts or podcasters reference “Delay” motion, they’re merely speaking about organising in a 5-out alignment and passing the ball to the middle on the prime of the important thing. Hartenstein thrives on this scenario; he is not Nikola Jokic, however he did be taught a factor or two when he was Jokic’s backup.
That is related as a result of, within the playoffs, Presti thought the Mavericks have been the superior passing group. “Common season, I believe you possibly can win with the dribble,” he stated. “Postseason, I believe you win with the go.” Towards nice defensive groups, notably ones that are not scared to cheat off of the Thunder’s perimeter gamers, they wanted to diversify their assault. Hartenstein’s passing will open up different methods to generate benefits.
The passing is just one a part of Hartenstein’s offensive recreation, one which he did not even get to indicate off that usually with the Knicks till they traded two of their playmakers they usually misplaced an All-Star to an harm. Oklahoma Metropolis, the NBA’s third-worst offensive rebounding group final season, has added an elite offensive rebounder who has a specific knack for tapping the ball out to a teammate. It has added its greatest screen-setter since Steven Adams and a participant who will make defenses suppose twice about blitzing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — in addition to making fast, sensible reads within the brief roll, he has unimaginable contact on his floater.
Crucially, when Hartenstein is not appearing as a handoff hub or rolling to the rim, he doesn’t simply stand round and clog issues up. He may begin a possession stationed within the dunker spot, however he is all the time studying the play, transferring round and making himself accessible. “Relocation” is a time period normally related to guards like Stephen Curry scurrying round on the perimeter to hunt 3s, however it’s additionally how Hartenstein will get numerous his dunks and floaters. Consider the simple buckets that Cason Wallace was capable of finding within the paint final season when OKC was not taking part in 5-out, then think about if Wallace have been 9 inches taller.
Again when he was a Houston Rockets growth challenge, by the best way, Hartenstein was seen as a potential stretch 5. He has by no means tried 3s at a very excessive quantity — he shot 14-for-30 in his one 12 months with the Clippers and simply 8-for-37 in his first 12 months in New York — however it should not be stunning if the Thunder encourage him to let it fly each occasionally. At this level in his profession, Hartenstein has confirmed that he can add juice to an offense with out taking any 3s in any respect. Maybe the safety he has earned will assist him shoot them with confidence.
If Presti does nothing else, the Thunder might need already had the most effective offseason of any group within the league, not to mention any contender. This signing, together with the Caruso commerce and the team-friendly contracts they negotiated with Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, place them as a extra adaptable, playoff-ready group than they have been final season, with inner growth to return and loads of flexibility sooner or later. In distinction, for Hartenstein’s former group, his determination raises all kinds of questions. Whereas the Knicks cannot be faulted for not matching the cash Oklahoma Metropolis supplied — they actually weren’t allowed to try this — failing to re-sign Hartenstein means they are going to look rather a lot totally different subsequent season.
New York wished to maintain Hartenstein. With OG Anunoby again on board and Mikal Bridges becoming a member of the occasion, it might have conceivably fielded a group that was overflowing with All-Protection sorts who do not want the ball on a regular basis however can relieve stress on Jalen Brunson. Now the Brunson-Hartenstein pick-and-roll is finished, and there seems to be lot driving on the well being of Mitchell Robinson, who has had two surgical procedures on his left ankle since hurting it final December. Robinson is a greater lob menace than Hartenstein and an excellent higher offensive rebounder, however, even when he places his harm woes behind him, he cannot be the sort of connector that Hartenstein was.
Assuming the Knicks do not have one other huge blockbuster in them — like, say, a Julius Randle commerce — Robinson would be the beginning middle. Jericho Sims is not going to be the backup, although, is he? In principle, New York might nonetheless re-sign Treasured Achiuwa, despite the fact that it determined to not challenge him the qualifying provide, and it ought to no less than have a look at free brokers like Moe Wagner (the dream final result, in my view), Goga Bitadze, Xavier Tillman and Daniel Theis. Leon Rose’s entrance workplace would not have a ton of flexibility, although, and its salary-cap scenario will depend upon how the Bridges commerce, which will not be accomplished till after the moratorium, is structured.
From a strictly monetary perspective, one might argue that even paying Hartenstein the 4 years and $72.5 million it supplied would not have been ideally suited for the Knicks. It is not stunning that they are watching him stroll, and buying Hartenstein within the first place is one in every of many strikes which have demonstrated their capability to search out undervalued gems. If that is disappointing, although, it is due to the best way that Hartenstein match with the group, notably within the latter half of this previous season. He was a promising playmaking 5 when he acquired to New York, after which he blended the finesse elements of his recreation with the brute-force stuff that Tom Thibodeau requires from his bigs. For a similar causes that he is the kind of middle that may truly improve what the Thunder have been constructing, he is the sort of middle that might have tied the following iteration of the Nova Knicks collectively. Now they will should determine one thing else out.