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

[Revived]

You guys should trade for Nurkic somehow. Thibs can probably turn him into above average defensively and offensively he can provide about the same if not more than Hartenstein did.

Mannnnn I loved me some Nurk but the injuries really sapped him of his athleticism. He's just too slow and ground bound at this point. Like, he misses bunnies left and right too.

Anton is probably gettable for the Knicks , esp as he is a defensive beast.

Who is Anton

[doogie_hauser]

Mannnnn I loved me some Nurk but the injuries really sapped him of his athleticism. He's just too slow and ground bound at this point. Like, he misses bunnies left and right too.

Anton is probably gettable for the Knicks , esp as he is a defensive beast.

Who is Anton

Ayton. My stupid cell phone is on auto correct again

[Big nick]

Mannnnn I loved me some Nurk but the injuries really sapped him of his athleticism. He's just too slow and ground bound at this point. Like, he misses bunnies left and right too.

Anton is probably gettable for the Knicks , esp as he is a defensive beast.

Who is Anton

He's not much is who he is.

[ConSarnit]

Even though I like Hartenstein I’m not a huge fan of this move for a few reasons.

-this is an overpay. Not the end of the world (maybe the last year isn’t guaranteed) but still an overpay

-OKC had the 3rd best offense in the league last year. Now they’ll be playing a non-shooting C more and that might hurt them. Their system is built on spacing and attacking and Hartenstein isn’t an ideal fit

-I would have rather experimented by paying someone like Bitadze at 3/30 to see how a “traditional big” effected their schemes. If it worked they could have upgrade using some draft assets (and probably gotten a lower salary C in return). What if Hartenstein isn’t a great fit with what they want to do? Getting off his deal won’t be easy

If I were OKC I would have rather signed someone cheaper as a “big ball” experiment or used some of my assets to try and get a better fit (ie floor spacing C). Hartenstein should be a fine fit but I would have pursued other avenues first.

[Capn'O]

^they're gonna try to make him a shooter. He's done some of that before. Also, he's a really good passer. Knick offense was substantially better with iHart than Mitch.

Unfortunately, I think it will work well for OKC.

[zshawn10]

Read on Twitter

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[stuporman]

Chet excels on the weak side. With Hartenstein positioned on the strong side, he acts as a strategic decoy, allowing Chet to leverage his strengths. The primary challenge for Chet is facing more physically dominant players inside. However, on the weak side, his agility and height enable him to effectively execute double teams and maintain control of the middle.

A player of Embiid's caliber will need to contend with Hartenstein while remaining vigilant of Chet's tactical maneuvers from behind, which will play on his weakness passing the ball around some of the best guards in deflections and steals.

Blah blah blah sounds great on a forum until it has to be played out in actual pressure filled playoffs basketball....good luck.

They ranked third in opponent FG% with Giddey. Now, they've incorporated two borderline All-Defensive NBA players. This is not mere rhetoric.

iHart was on a real good defensive team, too, with the Knicks and he still got exposed in the playoffs outside of a few stretches regardless of what Knicks fans said about him before the playoffs...you're 2K rhetoric is just forum fodder you think means something, it means nothing and you can delude yourself into believe your own rhetoric, I recognize it for what it is. Blah blah until he proves otherwise.

[Lo Wang]

Blah blah blah sounds great on a forum until it has to be played out in actual pressure filled playoffs basketball....good luck.

They ranked third in opponent FG% with Giddey. Now, they've incorporated two borderline All-Defensive NBA players. This is not mere rhetoric.

iHart was on a real good defensive team, too, with the Knicks and he still got exposed in the playoffs outside of a few stretches regardless of what Knicks fans said about him before the playoffs...you're 2K rhetoric is just forum fodder you think means something, it means nothing and you can delude yourself into believe your own rhetoric, I recognize it for what it is. Blah blah until he proves otherwise.

So you don't think OKC is better after trading Giddey (defensive liability) and adding Caruso and Hartenstein? Not to mention, growth and experience from their core players?

[doogie_hauser]

I would like to give a shout out to the Knicks fans here, most of whom are not paying out on IHart and fully understand on him taking on a once in a lifetime offer from OKC which will set his family up for life.

I don't think many other fanbases *cough Sixers cough* would have been quite so gracious

[Lo Wang]

stuporman,

I understand that Hartenstein faced challenges against players like Embiid while with the Knicks. However, comparing the Knicks' defense to that of the Thunder is misleading. The Thunder possess a top-5 defensive rating, ranking 3rd in steals and 2nd in blocks. Their swift rotations and deflections ensure that Hartenstein won't be isolated against Embiid, with Chet likely providing weak-side support.

Furthermore, the Thunder feature four elite defenders (Caruso, Shai, Dort, and JDub) capable of rapid rotations and intercepting passes. Shai leads the league in steals, followed closely by Caruso, but Dort is regarded as their premier defender.

The subtraction of Giddey and the addition of Caruso could elevate the Thunder to the best defensive team in the league. Adding Hartenstein makes them downright scary.

The Oklahoma City Thunder excels in rotational defense, largely due to the elite and versatile capabilities of their players. This proficiency enables them to seamlessly rotate and effectively cover each opposing player. A key factor in their success is the presence of Chet, whose skills enhance the team's defensive strategy where he plays the weak side and covers everything from the inside to the 3 point line.. This approach echoes the defensive tactics employed by the Detroit Pistons during their championship run, which was anchored by the formidable presence of Wallace. Such strategies underscore the importance of adaptability and team synergy in achieving defensive excellence in basketball.

[SweaterBae]

Imagine struggling to guard Joel Embiid being the knock on your game. Oh noes, the best scoring center in the league made me look bad!

[NoStatsGuy]

okay okay i understand everybody loves iHart right now. rightfully so. and i would never hold it against him taking that deal.

but you guys need to chill, the dude got ate up in the playoffs.
He gets you boards, he can pass and he will dive on the floor for lose balls. but thats really it.

lets pump the breaks the guy is a backup/fringe starter. people here acting like OKC just signed prime shaq

[Oscirus]

Blah blah blah sounds great on a forum until it has to be played out in actual pressure filled playoffs basketball....good luck.

They ranked third in opponent FG% with Giddey. Now, they've incorporated two borderline All-Defensive NBA players. This is not mere rhetoric.

iHart was on a real good defensive team, too, with the Knicks and he still got exposed in the playoffs outside of a few stretches regardless of what Knicks fans said about him before the playoffs...you're 2K rhetoric is just forum fodder you think means something, it means nothing and you can delude yourself into believe your own rhetoric, I recognize it for what it is. Blah blah until he proves otherwise.

He got exposed by a former MVP in his prime? You don't say!

[Lo Wang]

okay okay i understand everybody loves iHart right now. rightfully so. and i would never hold it against him taking that deal.

but you guys need to chill, the dude got ate up in the playoffs.
He gets you boards, he can pass and he will dive on the floor for lose balls. but thats really it.

lets pump the breaks the guy is a backup/fringe starter. people here acting like OKC just signed prime shaq

He may not rival the towering prowess of Shaquille O'Neal in his prime, yet his necessity to the team's schema transcends that of mere individual brilliance. As a seven-footer, he considerably bolsters their defense, which ranks among the top five, and fortifies what is arguably the season's most formidable defense. A more suitable parallel might be Derrick White of the Celtics: while not an all-star, White's role is critically tailored to meet a specific need within his team. This necessity, in the grand scheme of team dynamics, could be deemed more vital than the acquisition of prolific all stars like Damian Lillard or Trae Young.

[NoStatsGuy]

okay okay i understand everybody loves iHart right now. rightfully so. and i would never hold it against him taking that deal.

but you guys need to chill, the dude got ate up in the playoffs.
He gets you boards, he can pass and he will dive on the floor for lose balls. but thats really it.

lets pump the breaks the guy is a backup/fringe starter. people here acting like OKC just signed prime shaq

He may not rival the towering prowess of Shaquille O'Neal in his prime, yet his necessity to the team's schema transcends that of mere individual brilliance. As a seven-footer, he considerably bolsters their defense, which ranks among the top five, and fortifies what is arguably the season's most formidable defense. A more suitable parallel might be Derrick White of the Celtics: while not an all-star, White's role is critically tailored to meet a specific need within his team. This necessity, in the grand scheme of team dynamics, could be deemed more vital than the acquisition of prolific all stars like Damian Lillard or Trae Young.

i understand that, its a similalr situation with OG and the Knicks aswell. iHart not a bad signing for them, that wasnt my point.

[SweaterBae]

okay okay i understand everybody loves iHart right now. rightfully so. and i would never hold it against him taking that deal.

but you guys need to chill, the dude got ate up in the playoffs.
He gets you boards, he can pass and he will dive on the floor for lose balls. but thats really it.

lets pump the breaks the guy is a backup/fringe starter. people here acting like OKC just signed prime shaq

What a nonsense post. Nobody is acting like he's Shaq. Like seriously, saying crap like that is what derails threads and prevents intelligent discourse. He's a great fit for OKC and it's super duper easy to comprehend that if you aren't insanely biased. Oh look, Knicks fan.

[Lo Wang]

okay okay i understand everybody loves iHart right now. rightfully so. and i would never hold it against him taking that deal.

but you guys need to chill, the dude got ate up in the playoffs.
He gets you boards, he can pass and he will dive on the floor for lose balls. but thats really it.

lets pump the breaks the guy is a backup/fringe starter. people here acting like OKC just signed prime shaq

He may not rival the towering prowess of Shaquille O'Neal in his prime, yet his necessity to the team's schema transcends that of mere individual brilliance. As a seven-footer, he considerably bolsters their defense, which ranks among the top five, and fortifies what is arguably the season's most formidable defense. A more suitable parallel might be Derrick White of the Celtics: while not an all-star, White's role is critically tailored to meet a specific need within his team. This necessity, in the grand scheme of team dynamics, could be deemed more vital than the acquisition of prolific all stars like Damian Lillard or Trae Young.

i understand that, its a similalr situation with OG and the Knicks aswell. iHart not a bad signing for them, that wasnt my point.

I'm sorry I'm an idiot and I don't quite understand your point. Would you care to elaborate?

[SweaterBae]

He may not rival the towering prowess of Shaquille O'Neal in his prime, yet his necessity to the team's schema transcends that of mere individual brilliance. As a seven-footer, he considerably bolsters their defense, which ranks among the top five, and fortifies what is arguably the season's most formidable defense. A more suitable parallel might be Derrick White of the Celtics: while not an all-star, White's role is critically tailored to meet a specific need within his team. This necessity, in the grand scheme of team dynamics, could be deemed more vital than the acquisition of prolific all stars like Damian Lillard or Trae Young.

i understand that, its a similalr situation with OG and the Knicks aswell. iHart not a bad signing for them, that wasnt my point.

I'm sorry I'm an idiot and I don't quite understand your point. Would you care to elaborate?

They don't have a point and don't know what "elaborate" means.

[NoStatsGuy]

i understand that, its a similalr situation with OG and the Knicks aswell. iHart not a bad signing for them, that wasnt my point.

I'm sorry I'm an idiot and I don't quite understand your point. Would you care to elaborate?

They don't have a point and don't know what "elaborate" means.

wrong. my point is, that hes a backup / role player and not some all star, which the money would indicate.

Lo Wang is trying to troll with his "elevated" eloquence and sweaterbae needs to improve their reading comprehension. Thats why i dont really feel like further elaborating, your request is not genuine.

[SweaterBae]

I'm sorry I'm an idiot and I don't quite understand your point. Would you care to elaborate?

They don't have a point and don't know what "elaborate" means.

wrong. my point is, that hes a backup / role player and not some all star, which the money would indicate.

Lo Wang is trying to troll with his "elevated" eloquence and sweaterbae needs to improve their reading comprehension. Thats why i dont really feel like further elaborating, your request is not genuine.

You're clueless. Allstars make $50,000,000 today. The only reason you're in this thread is because your team lost a guy you wanted to keep and now you're pumping copiuim. The fact that you can't comprehend why he fits well, and is only on a 3 year deal, is embarrassing. You're the one who said people were acting like they signed "prime Shaq" and now you're backtracking.