Isaiah Hartenstein had one final rejection for the New York Knicks before leaving. In an interview with Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, the former Knicks center discussed his departure, which comes about a month after signing a three-year, $87 million contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Hartenstein admitted that it was “really hard” to leave New York, where he enjoyed two breakout seasons that made him one of the most sought-after interior free agents. The 26-year-old said he would have followed Jalen Brunson’s example, who recently turned down a nine-figure deal by signing an extension now rather than later.
In the end, the ideal team pursued him with an offer he couldn’t refuse.
“If it wasn’t a team like OKC, I would’ve taken a pay cut because I loved it in New York,” Hartenstein told Bondy, mentioning that his offseason goal was to “set for the rest of (his) life,” especially after the arrival of his first child with his wife, Kourtney. “But now I have an opportunity to earn more, get a pay raise, and still compete. That was the main factor.”
Hartenstein revealed to Bondy that the Knicks’ best offer was a four-year, $72.5 million deal, limited by salary cap constraints.
While tempting, the Thunder, who overcame poor rebounding to finish atop the Western Conference, offered Hartenstein a higher salary and a chance to play alongside Chet Holmgren, a rising frontcourt star in the league.
“If it wasn’t a situation like Oklahoma City with a chance to win, I don’t think I would’ve left,” Hartenstein said. “I love New York. I love the front office, I loved my team. So it was definitely hard. If it wasn’t a situation where I felt like I really had a chance to win, I probably wouldn’t have left.”
Hartenstein, who had moved around the NBA before signing a two-year, $16 million deal with the Knicks in the summer of 2022, initially joined to back up Mitchell Robinson. He quickly became one of the Knicks’ most valuable depth players, averaging 7.4 rebounds and 6.3 points over two seasons.
Last season, Hartenstein stepped in as the Knicks’ starting center when Robinson was injured and kept the role even after Robinson’s brief return. Hartenstein led all 2024 playoff participants in total offensive rebounds until he was finally surpassed by Dallas rookie Dereck Lively II in the final stages of the NBA Finals.
With Hartenstein gone, the Knicks have struggled to fill the significant gap he left. Robinson, the longest-tenured Knick, is expected to resume his role as the starting center, but the team’s depth is lacking.
Veteran Jericho Sims, a homegrown player, is currently the backup, though he has struggled to secure a consistent role in the rotation. The Knicks also used the final pick of last month’s NBA Draft on German-born prospect Ariel Hukporti, who has since signed a two-way deal.
