[Woj] Free agent C Isaiah Hartenstein has agreed on a three-year, $87 million deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder

[winforlose]

Bruh.

Tell me what’s inaccurate about the post?

Its a smaller version of the Gobert debates over the years. Post defense/rebounding is very valuable to winning basketball and still underrated by fans. We could nitpick over analytics perhaps overvaluing the skillset the other way due to limitations the the metrics themselves but IH is generally a winning player.

But the difference is Karl was better in space (as we learned during the high wall year,) and couldn’t protect the rim at the level the Wolves needed. Chet on the other hand can protect the rim, and will likely struggle being forced to defend PFs in space. His shot blocking is not completely negated, but definitely hampered by the move, and his frame doesn’t help as much rebounding away from the basket. Karl is a more natural PF who can play C. Chet is a more natural C who will need to adjust to PF. That is the difference. I have no doubt that IH and Chet can play together, but I think in some ways they limit each other whereas Karl and Rudy compliment each other.

[ArksNetsSince99]

We had early bird rights, not full bird.

But you could offer the max , and do the rest based on incentives, and place the bar low

Big Fock up on the Knicks FO

You have no idea what you are talking about

They got him for 56m over 2 years with team option non guaranteed 3rd year and you tell me Knicks couldn’t do that ?

Try again

[CelticSooner]

New Power Rankings:

BOS
OKC
NYK
PHI
MIN
DAL
DEN

crazy!

I agree. Great pickup for OKC and big loss for the Knicks.

I fail to see how Knicks are 3rd best with this loss. I have Knicks below Denver on that list.

When teams are cooking Braun on the perimeter you’ll change your tune.

[scrabbarista]

I was very vocal with my "anti-OKC" rhetoric last season, and they ultimately did exactly what I would've guessed: go out in the Second Round. But even I have to say OKC are the WC favorites as of July 1st. Hartenstein is not a midget.

[flintsky21]

Will he start?

[5IVE5TAR5]

I hate the West. Thunder are the favorites right now for me with 30 picks still left to make a trade for a Lauri down the line.

[PistolPeteJR]

It’s not. His impact metrics peg him as a top 10-15 player in the league

Bruh.

Tell me what’s inaccurate about the post?

If you’re suggesting he’s a top 10-15 player in the NBA or anything remotely close to that because of said metrics, fat no.

[scrabbarista]

I agree. Great pickup for OKC and big loss for the Knicks.

I fail to see how Knicks are 3rd best with this loss. I have Knicks below Denver on that list.

When teams are cooking Braun on the perimeter you’ll change your tune.

Nobody cooks Braun on the perimeter.

[MrTribbiani]

Anything less than a Western Conference Finals appearance would be disappointing for OKC. They already disappointed last season, hopefully they actually advance to the Western Conference Finals in 2025.

[Sixers in 4]

It is hilarious how much this board overrates role players. I'll take Drummond for 5M instead thanks.

[winforlose]

New Power Rankings:

BOS
OKC
NYK
PHI
MIN
DAL
DEN

crazy!

I agree. Great pickup for OKC and big loss for the Knicks.

I fail to see how Knicks are 3rd best with this loss. I have Knicks below Denver on that list.

Boston gets top spot automatically by virtue of winning it all. I would give the nod to Dallas as the beginning number 2 out of respect for their making it to the finals. Again not a reflection of this year, but a nod to last year. From there, OKC is probably 5th or 6th. IH is a repeat of the Giddey mistake. NYK losing IH creates a problem at C and Denver losing KCP creates a problem at SG. My top 8 to start the season:

Boston
Dallas
Minnesota
NYK
Memphis
OKC
Philly
Denver

[Crives]

5 firsts and a swap to turn hartenstein into Mikal. Mikal is one of my favorite players, but man this looks like a terrible trade

[Kiss of Death]

It is definitely a massive overpay for a role player.

OKC must not believe that Chet is a viable starting center because I doubt they would give $30 M a year to a backup.

[Patches Perry]

Will he start?

I think he will but minutes will be 25mpg or so.

Shai
Dort
Dub
Chet
Hartenstein

Caruso
Wallace
Joe
Wiggins
Jwill

[omerome]

But you could offer the max , and do the rest based on incentives, and place the bar low

Big Fock up on the Knicks FO

You have no idea what you are talking about

They got him for 56m over 2 years with team option non guaranteed 3rd year and you tell me Knicks couldn’t do that ?

Try again

They could only offer around 72M over four years. That's their max since the Knicks only had early bird rights.

That's much less than what he got in OKC.

Try again.

[_jin]

But you could offer the max , and do the rest based on incentives, and place the bar low

Big Fock up on the Knicks FO

You have no idea what you are talking about

They got him for 56m over 2 years with team option non guaranteed 3rd year and you tell me Knicks couldn’t do that ?

Try again

No they couldnt. Their mistake was not extending him for 3years previously to get his full bird rights but hindsight is 20/20. All they could offer was 4/72.

[winforlose]

It is definitely a massive overpay for a role player.

OKC must not believe that Chet is a viable starting center because I doubt they would give $30 M a year to a backup.

But, can Chet defend as a PF, and doesn’t moving him to PF waste his shot blocking?

[DaddyCool19]

Thought he wouldn't stay because he would get better offers, but I thought it would be more lik 85-90M over 4 years instead of a 3/87M deal.

[Chuck Everett]

A bit of an overpay, was hoping for 22m per year ballpark. I was really happy with the value of the Wiggins and Joe deals so it balances out.

Very happy to have him on the roster though! Much needed size and strength, but still operates well as a passer and screener.

He's an excellent passer. He will play well with Chet too I believe whenever they are out there. Should see a lot of big to big plays.

[Saints14]

It''s an overpay in absolute terms but this is exactly what the Thunder needed to do. Overpay a guy to complete the roster while Chet and JDub are on their rookie deals. Hartenstein addresses their weaknesses but also doesn't prevent them from going 5 out - they now have more frontcourt versatility to match up against beefier centers as well as better frontcourt depth in general. I could see IH starting but not closing a lot of games depending on the matchup. The Grizzlies GM said something about that the other day about how having Edey, JJJ and Clarke gives them a lot of matchup versatility, OKC needed something like that.

Man, I just love everything about how Presti is building this team. Not going out and blowing up their core or wasting future assets on an aging star, but trusting the development of their internal "big 3" of SGA, Chet and Jalen and putting elite role players around them. So many teams start out likable, and then completely change the dynamics of the roster in a desperate attempt to go all in. It is so fun to follow OKCs long game approach, and with the picks that have still yet to convey they'll be a problem for the next decade.