Isaiah Hartenstein continues to impress as the Knicks‘ starting center in place of the injured Mitchell Robinson, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. Hartenstein had a monster double-double in Wednesday’s victory over Chicago, recording 10 points, a career-high 20 rebounds, and a career-high-tying five blocks.
“I’m impressed with the way he’s protecting the rim, to be honest,” Julius Randle said after Wednesday’s win. “We’re used to Mitch doing that, covering up for our mistakes when we get beat off the dribble. But he’s a monster doing that. And to go up against (Bulls center Andre) Drummond and get 20 rebounds, it’s no slight. He’s been amazing.”
An unrestricted free agent in the offseason, Katz says Hartenstein is “due for an inevitable raise” on his $9.2MM expiring contract, and it will be difficult for New York to re-sign him, given the team’s commitments to Robinson and several other players. The Knicks will hold his Early Bird rights.
“Right now, I’m a New York Knick,” Hartenstein said of 2024 free agency. “That’s the biggest thing. I feel like, yeah, sometimes you have that in the back of your mind. That’s normal. At the end of the day, I wanna be in New York, but it’s a business.”
Here’s more on the two New York-based teams:
- Miles McBride had a shaky first two games as the Knicks‘ new primary backup point guard, but they still view him as a long-term replacement for Immanuel Quickley, sources tell ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. McBride inked a three-year, $13MM extension with New York shortly after the team traded Quickley to Toronto. For what it’s worth, McBride has 12 points in six minutes thus far during Friday’s contest vs. Philadelphia, making all four of his three-pointers.
- Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily.com takes an in-depth look at Nic Claxton‘s value and future, writing that Claxton could be worth $20-25MM annually on the open market as a free agent this summer and the Nets would be wise to re-sign him to a long-term contract if that range is indeed accurate. Claxton won’t become extension-eligible prior to free agency.
- Brian Lewis of The New York Post revisits the Nets‘ decision to promote Jacque Vaughn to head coach last season instead of hiring Ime Udoka, who eventually landed with Houston in the offseason after being suspended by Boston for all of 2022/23 for sexual misconduct.
Itsa Udoka would be a great fit for the Knicks coaching staff; Dolan should make and offer
Dolan can’t do the offer cuz of the cba. They have to offer a certain amount for it to count. Otherwise they eat the picks and the player. Plus they want centers to coach.
The Nets would not be wise to resign Claxton for $20-25M. That’s how mediocre teams stay mediocre
Kinda agree here to be honest
You’ve got Mitch Robinson, Wendell Carter and Rob Williams in around that 12-15 mil mark, then there’re Vuce and Jarrett Allen up at that 18-20mil mark. To me Claxton should be anywhere from 15-20 anything more is an overpay and it’ll come back to be a bad contract in the future.
Would make the perfect sign and trade candidate as some teams would love to have him and pay him what he wants, while getting off contracts that they no longer what.
For example the lakers:
DAngelo Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt for Nic Claxton 3 years 75mil (23mil per season with some incentives)
Russell comes back to Brooklyn and replaces Dinwiddie who’s also on an expiring deal. Vando also comes and gives them a really solid defender. The move would create a hole at centre but you can fill that somehow without having to overpay.
Russell Bridges Johnson Vando would be a good start to something
rct
December 30, 2023
Only silver lining is that IQ is a FA at season’s end. Otherwise I don’t understand this move at all. Shockingly bad trade for the Knicks. Better be something else in the works because this makes them a worse team.
Bench ——
Hart – 10 pts, McBride- 15 pts, Grimes – 19 pts.
Randle 8 pts, OG – 11 pts …..
Knicks beat Sixers by 36. They don’t even know each other yet. It’s called FIT rct.
3-0 and they’re not even a team yet. You said they lost their bench strength??????
So NOW can you explain to me how they are worse ……… you called me clueless. Cause you can’t have an adult disagreement.
WTF is the CLUELESS clown here.
I’m still waiting LOL .
YEAH ———- KnickerbockerAl ……. That’s who I am
Good win but they aren’t a real title threat. You know too.
I’ve been saying it. Just good to see them grow. Haters don’t understand what it takes to get better and good in NYC.
I’m just enjoying the ride bro
This new obsession you have with rct is weird dude.
Al needs some outdoor hobbies.
It’s simple lol …..
You come at me with BS. Then I’m coming for you with a whole lot of truth. Your own words . How much simpler can it get.
I don’t have obsessions in life. I just show people who they are with the TRUTH. Something they don’t reciprocate to me. Cause obviously I know too much .
God forbid I actually know ball and the team I root for.
Hartenstein isn’t difficult at all for the NYK. They’ll gladly meet any market for Hartenstein up to the max they can pay him as an Early Bird FA (which would start around 16 mm a year). That’s the best they can do, and it should be enough to keep him.
As a still rebuilding team, the NYK are and should be concerned about the Aprons. But that doesn’t mean they won’t pay market value for the players they have that are performing to that level for them. If that’s the case, might as well close up shop. Particularly guys like Hartenstein, who’s 25, and part of a young C tandum that they love.
As much as I’d like to see him return, he’s going to get an offer that will get him $20M per and starter minutes. If they do manage to keep him and pay him, it’s going to be a juggling act to keep both him and Robinson happy.
Well, we can’t pay Hartenstein 20 M under NBA rules. So, if he gets that offer, and wants to max out $$ wise, that’s easy for the NYK’s too.
But a 20 M FA offer could only come from a true cap space team (can’t be a Sign and Trade either). How many of those are there? It’s the C position. Right now, I expect he’ll stay if the $$ are close. He likes it here. More importantly, the time share with Mitch has been good for both their careers. Even as a pure business decision, he shouldn’t walk away from this situation for a small difference in $$. But, sure, he might.
Knicks should sign him to whatever cost, if he maintains this level and performs well in the playoffs.
Pay him 18 a year multiyear contract, to be the “backup centre” for a deep playoff/finals aspiring team next season.
Knicks won’t get a better option, even paying the same or More, to another player, than him in that role. Because of play, continuity AND fit.
He’s not just the “backup centre”. He Is and Will be a really important part of the team. Can clóse games, even play next to Mitch sometimes. He Will give Thibs more options for different lineups in the frontcourt.
I hope he continúes, AND if we have no choice but to overpay, overpay.
Why worry about that now. They need to make the playoffs and show up and show out. His day will come. Enjoy the ride now.
Why? There’s a trading deadline coming up in a month. Never know what someone may offer or want. IQ just got moved, one less issue for the off-season. Hartenstein could be another if the price is right.
I know I’m going to get heat for this but if Hartenstein keeps playing at this level and it extends into the playoffs I’d pay him what we need to and dangle Mitch as another trade chip….if everyone keeps playing like they did last night though you might not need another trade…I think getting rid of Barret really opened things up for the rest of the team and I’ve been clamoring for McBride to get more time since watching him light it up in g league
What I remember is how posters here killed the signing of Hartenstein. Same who don’t understand what a rebuild looks like in NY.
Hartenstein is not the rim protector Mitch is. That’s why he was signed as his backup. He now has his chance to show out. I’m rooting for him. Had a nice game against Embiid. One is one game. I’ll let the season play out and see how he does. I’d still like to sign a center if Knicks are serious about the playoffs this yr.