Isaiah Hartenstein Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Hartenstein, Poeltl, Martin, Maxey

January 22nd, 2024 at 6:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Center Isaiah Hartenstein could miss some time due to soreness in his left foot and ankle, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets. The Knicks will see how he feels on Tuesday before determining his status for their matchup with the Nets. He’s listed as questionable due to Achilles tendinopathy.

Coach Tom Thibodeau said Jericho Sims and Precious Achiuwa will need to step in if Hartenstein misses any time (Twitter link via Knicks Videos). Julius Randle or OG Anunoby could also get minutes at center if Thibodeau is willing to use smaller lineups.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Raptors center Jakob Poeltl is progressing well in his recovery from an ankle injury, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. Poeltl didn’t play against Memphis on Monday but the Raptors are hoping to have him back “very, very soon,” according to coach Darko Rajakovic. Poeltl hasn’t played since Jan. 7.
The Sixers have made swingman KJ Martin available on the trade market, Marc Stein reports in his latest notebook. Philadelphia is looking for a quality second-round pick in a potential deal. Martin has struggled for playing time on a veteran-laden team. He has appeared in 25 games this season but is only averaging 5.9 minutes in those outings. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
By starting 41 games this season, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey has met the starter’s criteria, bumping his qualifying offer to $8,486,620, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. For a player at Maxey’s level, the increase of his QO isn’t significant, since he’s widely expected to receive a max contract from Philadelphia in lieu of exploring the restricted free agent market.

Knicks Notes: Brunson, Achiuwa, Hartenstein, Trade Rumors

January 21st, 2024 at 8:35am CST by Luke Adams

There were good vibes in Madison Square Garden on Saturday, as Knicks fans gave Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett a warm welcome in their return to New York as Raptors, then watched stars Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle lead the home team to a dominant 126-100 victory. After the game, Brunson and Randle both spoke about how much they enjoyed playing with Quickley and Barrett, who said they appreciated the reception they received from Knicks fans.

“Love those two. Being teammates with them the past couple of years has been special,” Brunson said of Barrett and Quickley, per Peter Botte of The New York Post. “Great character dudes. They both work really hard. Everything you want in a franchise player. Toronto has a couple good dudes over there. I wish them nothing but the best.”

“Those guys are special talents,” Randle added, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “It’s a special relationship I’ve built with them. I know they talk about how much I meant to them, but they mean a lot to me, to be honest. Talking about leadership, how I carry myself, how to be open, how to be honest, how to be motivated — those are things I didn’t necessarily have coming in vocally. I always wanted to lead by example, just play hard every night. But those guys with me brought a different side out of me. … The relationship that I have with them is extremely special.”

While Quickley and Barrett are missed by their former teammates, Saturday’s game was a reminder of why trading them was the right move, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. As Bondy notes, OG Anunoby continues to show he’s a perfect fit alongside the Knicks’ ball-dominant players, who have been on a tear this month.

Following a 38-point showing on Saturday, Brunson has now averaged 28.9 points and 8.4 assists per game since the arrival of Anunoby, who in turn has been an NBA-best +190 during his time on the court as a Knick. Randle had a triple-double in Saturday’s victory and has put up 25.6 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 5.1 APG since Anunoby’s debut.

Here’s more out of New York:

While Anunoby continues to be lauded by his play for the Knicks – including by super-fan Spike Lee, as Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca details – another former Raptor had a big night vs. his former team on Saturday. Precious Achiuwa established new season highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes of action, writes Jared Schwartz of The New York Post.
Achiuwa was playing an increased role due to the fact that starting center Isaiah Hartenstein left the game in the third quarter with an ankle issue. According to Bondy (Twitter link), head coach Tom Thibodeau called it as a sprain, though the team later referred to it as just “sore.” Whether or not Hartenstein has to miss time as a result of the injury, Bondy expects Jericho Sims to see more playing time. Sims logged three minutes on Saturday after sitting out the past five games.
Discussing some of the potential trade targets who have been linked to the Knicks, Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link) says the Jazz‘s asking price for Jordan Clarkson is very high and that he hasn’t heard anything to suggest that the Knicks and Trail Blazers have had serious talks about Malcolm Brogdon.
On the other hand, Begley keeps hearing “again and again” that New York has strong interest in Raptors guard Bruce Brown. Asked on Saturday about those rumors, as well as the belief that Thibodeau is a fan of his play, Brown said he has “nothing but respect” for the Knicks’ head coach and can do “just about whatever [Thibodeau] needs me to do,” per Schwartz. “I play extremely hard,” he said. “I would think [I’m] the type of player that he likes.”

Knicks’ Disabled Player Exception Request For Robinson To Be Denied

January 10th, 2024 at 4:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA will deny a request for a $7.8MM disabled player exception that the Knicks submitted after an injury to Mitchell Robinson, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Sources tell Wojnarowski there’s optimism that Robinson can return from ankle surgery before the end of the regular season.

Robinson had surgery about four weeks ago after experiencing inflammation in his left ankle. A report indicated that he was expected to miss the remainder of the season, but he has apparently been showing progress in his recovery.

The Knicks’ decision to apply for the DPE was a case of “due diligence” by the front office, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday, who also hears that the team is hoping Robinson can return. Management was looking for another tool to potentially improve the team and hasn’t given up hope that Robinson will play again this season, adds Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).

Disabled player exceptions are in place to help teams who lose a significant player to a long-term injury. There’s no risk for teams to seek them, but the league must determine that the player will likely be sidelined until at least June 15 for the request to be approved. DPEs allow teams to sign a replacement player for 50% of the injured player’s salary or for the amount of the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception, whichever is lesser.

New York still has trade exceptions worth $6.8MM and $5.2MM that it can use until the February 8 trade deadline, notes Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).

The Knicks have been able to remain competitive without Robinson because Isaiah Hartenstein has done an exceptional job as his replacement. In the 11 games he has started, Hartenstein is averaging 7.7 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting 61.8% from the field, notes Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link).

New York Notes: DiVincenzo, Hartenstein, Randle, Nets’ Loss

January 8th, 2024 at 8:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks are undefeated since acquiring OG Anunoby. Donte DiVincenzo said the blockbuster deal with Toronto has lit a fire under the team, he told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.

“There’s an energy right now that we have,” he said. “And it’s contagious. Guys are celebrating each other, guys are moving the ball.”

DiVincenzo is averaging 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 23.5 minutes during four January contests.

We have more on the New York teams:

In the four games since the trade, Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein has been playing heavy minutes while averaging a double-double (10.5 points, 13.5 rebounds). He’s also leading the Knicks in steals (2.3) and blocks (3.0) per game and has become somewhat of a play-maker (2.8 assists). “It’s fun,” Hartenstein told Bondy. “I think it’s definitely a role that I always envisioned myself being in.”
Julius Randle has averaged 26.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game since mid-November while scoring at least 20 points in 24 of those 26 contests. The Knicks forward is initiating more pick-and-rolls this season and taking fewer 3-pointers. He’s also reacting more quickly to double teams. “The key to having longevity in this game is adaptability and being able to adjust,” Randle told Fred Katz of The Athletic. “I’ve always been able to adjust as my career has gone on. But now, I think I’m just more sure of who I am as a player. It’s all kinda coming together for me at this point in my career.”
The Nets were furious at themselves after losing at home to the Trail Blazers on Sunday, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. They wasted Mikal Bridges‘ 42-point game in the process. “We definitely should have won. It’s frustrating,” Cameron Johnson said. “Very disappointing overall to not win this basketball game. Extremely disappointing,” coach Jacque Vaughn added.

New York Notes: Hartenstein, McBride, Nets, Claxton

January 5th, 2024 at 8:34pm CST by Rory Maher

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.

Knicks Notes: Randle, Hartenstein, Second Unit, LaVine, Achiuwa

January 4th, 2024 at 3:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Julius Randle was already on a scoring tear in December, averaging 27.6 points per game. Randle has pumped up his production even more following the trade that sent RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to Toronto, scoring 39 and 35 points in the Knicks’ first two games this month.

“I think the trade has opened up a little bit more opportunity to be aggressive,” Randle said, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “So I’m just trying to take what the defense is giving me.”

We have more on the Knicks:

Isaiah Hartenstein seems quite comfortable as a starter. He had a career-high 20 rebounds and five blocks in Wednesday’s 116-100 triumph over Chicago, Bondy notes. “I can play this role. That’s the biggest thing,” Hartenstein said. “I always had the confidence that I can really play it, but was never really in that situation.”
While the addition of OG Anunoby has helped the starting unit, the bench is in a state of flux, Mike Vaccaro of the Post points out. The reserves only produced 18 points against the Timberwolves and once again against the Bulls. “We have to try and find a rhythm for the second unit,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “They need a little bit of time but we’ll figure that out. You’ve got to make simple plays right now, trust each other, make advantages for each other.”
While the Knicks have been linked in the past to the Bulls’ Zach LaVine, they’re now among the teams not interested in a swap for the high-scoring wing, according to Bondy’s sources.
Bondy details how Precious Achiuwa‘s New York City upbringing has prepared him for the spotlight of playing in the Big Apple. Achiuwa was also acquired from Toronto in the Anunoby deal.

Knicks Notes: Robinson, Trade Targets, Hartenstein, 2019 Draft

December 21st, 2023 at 12:43pm CST by Rory Maher

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson will reportedly miss the remainder of the 2023/24 season following left ankle surgery. Robinson took to social media in response to the news, and he was understandably discouraged.

“I just don’t get it…I do everything I’m asked when it comes to my body and this s–t still happens like wtf. Another year another disappointment,” he wrote on Snapchat (Twitter link via New York Basketball).

Robinson has battled injuries throughout his career, including being limited to 59 games last season. Despite missing the past six contests, he still ranks second in the league in total offensive rebounds. He was averaging career highs in rebounds (10.3), offensive rebounds (5.3) and steals per game (1.5) prior to the injury.

Here are a few more notes from New York:

When the Knicks initially ruled Robinson out for at least eight-to-10 weeks, they weren’t in a rush to find a replacement center, league sources tell Fred Katz of The Athletic. In fact, they haven’t been actively involved in trade conversations this fall, according to Katz, who wonders if that will change after applying for a disabled player exception for Robinson. Katz considers potential trade targets who could potentially fit Robinson’s role, either using the DPE or more traditional means. Some players mentioned include Andre Drummond (Bulls), Clint Capela (Hawks), Precious Achiuwa (Raptors) and Daniel Gafford (Wizards).
Prior to Wednesday’s game in Brooklyn, center Isaiah Hartenstein was asked about the team’s rivalry with the Nets. “Is there a rivalry? I mean, I don’t feel it,” Hartenstein said, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “I mean, most of the time we go to Barclays it’s mostly Knicks fans so I don’t know if it’s really a rivalry at this point.” As Hartenstein mentioned, the Knicks are far more popular than the Nets, and they currently have a better record as well (16-11 vs. 13-14), winning last night’s contest in a blowout.
The Knicks lost a franchise-record 65 games in 2018/19 in hopes of landing the No. 1 overall pick and selecting Zion Williamson, who has missed more than half of his career games to this point with injuries. They ultimately landed the No. 3 pick and chose RJ Barrett. In a subscriber-only story for The New York Post, Bondy re-drafts the top-15 picks of 2019, with Williamson, Ja Morant and Darius Garland making up his top three, followed by Barrett and Tyler Herro.

Knicks’ Jericho Sims To Miss Time With Ankle Injury

December 20th, 2023 at 4:46pm CST by Luke Adams

4:46pm: The Knicks have confirmed (via Twitter) that Sims will be out at least seven-to-10 days, which is when he’ll be reevaluated.

1:36pm: Although he’s still listed on the injury report as questionable for Wednesday’s game in Brooklyn, Knicks center Jericho Sims is expected to miss one or two weeks due to his right ankle sprain, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Sims suffered the injury during Monday’s victory over the Lakers.

Sims has averaged just 1.6 points and 1.7 rebounds in 7.4 minutes per game across 14 appearances so far this season, but he has become an important part of New York’s rotation since starting center Mitchell Robinson went down with a left ankle injury. Sims started the Knicks’ first five games without Robinson and had been playing between 17 and 21 minutes per night.

Although Isaiah Hartenstein had been handling the majority of the minutes at the five and looks like the obvious candidate to move into the starting lineup, the Knicks now find themselves shorthanded up front. With Robinson and Sims unavailable, the team’s only other center besides Hartenstein is 38-year-old Taj Gibson, who just made his season debut last week and probably shouldn’t be counted on for meaningful minutes.

Even before Wojnarowski revealed Sims’ recovery timeline, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post had suggested that something has to give for the Knicks, who can’t count on Hartenstein to keep playing 39 minutes per game like he did on Monday.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau has resisted the idea of using a power forward like Julius Randle as a small-ball five, since he prefers to always have some form of rim protection on the floor, but Thibodeau may need to be flexible on that front, writes Bondy.

The other option would be for the front office to add another center via free agency. The Knicks currently have a full roster, but a few players, including Ryan Arcidiacono and DaQuan Jeffries, don’t have fully guaranteed contracts, so the team has some flexibility to move players in and out if necessary.

Knicks Notes: Sims, Centers, Reddish, Hart

December 19th, 2023 at 4:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Knicks center Jericho Sims sprained his right ankle after just three minutes of action in Monday’s win over the Lakers. Head coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t have an update after the game about the severity of the injury, per Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link), but Sims was in a walking boot, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday.

Still, it sounds like the injury may not be significant. According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link), the Knicks are listing Sims as questionable to play in Wednesday’s contest vs. Brooklyn, which suggests he may not have to miss any time at all.

If Sims is forced to the sidelines, his absence figures to result in a significant role for reserve center Isaiah Hartenstein, who had already been getting the majority of playing time at the five since Mitchell Robinson went down.

On Monday, Hartenstein logged an impressive 39 minutes off the bench and played a key role in the victory — he grabbed a career-best 17 rebounds and the Knicks outscored the Lakers by 15 points when he was on the court. Recently added big man Taj Gibson was a minus-8 in his six minutes of action.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Prior to Monday’s win and Sims’ ankle injury, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post questioned whether Hartenstein should simply be moved into the starting lineup, since the groups with Sims at center haven’t been particularly effective, especially defensively. Since Robinson’s injury, New York has a +11.5 net rating with Hartenstein on the court and a -16.9 mark (including a 131.1 defensive rating) when Sims is playing.
Facing his former Knicks team for the first time this season on Monday, Lakers forward Cam Reddish wasn’t willing to revisit the past, Bondy writes in another New York Post story. “I’ve got nothing for you,” Reddish said on his way out of the locker room. “My time in New York is over.” Asked about the former Knicks forward, who fell out of favor in New York and reportedly sought a trade, Thibodeau lauded the 24-year-old for being willing to accept his role in Los Angeles: “I think the first thing is to embrace the role, and I think he’s done a really good job of that.”
Speaking to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Josh Hart attributed his bumpy start to this season to adjusting to a new role and to not being in his usual rhythm after spending a long summer with Team USA. Still, Hart suggested he’d happily accept an invitation to the 2024 Olympic team — though he’s not necessarily holding his breath for that invite. “I’d be very pleasantly surprised if I get a call. If I do, I’ll go cheerlead LeBron (James), KD (Kevin Durant) and all of them and I would love every minute of it,” he said with a laugh.
After seven straight lottery seasons from 2014-20, the Knicks are now a “fully functional” franchise and a solid playoff team, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com, who considers what it will take for the club to become more than that.

Atlantic Notes: White, Thybulle, Sixers, Knicks

December 17th, 2023 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

Does Derrick White deserve All-Star consideration? Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston argues that the Celtics guard has a legitimate case, noting that the team has a +13.6 net rating when White is on the court compared to a +1.5 mark when he sits. That’s the widest on/off difference for any player on the roster.

White is also averaging 15.6 points and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 48.2% from the field and 42.7% on three-pointers. All of those numbers would be career bests for the seventh-year guard (with the exception of his rookie season, when he shot 48.5% from the floor and 61.5% on threes in just 139 total minutes).

Still, while the 19-5 Celtics certainly have a case to send multiple players to this season’s All-Star Game in Indianapolis, it’s unclear whether White will make the cut. As Forsberg observes, Jayson Tatum is a lock to be an All-Star, while teammates Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis will also warrant consideration.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Since being traded from Philadelphia to Portland at last season’s trade deadline, Matisse Thybulle has made 39.9% of his three-point attempts, well above the 32.5% mark he put up across three-and-a-half seasons with the Sixers. Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer wonders if the 76ers gave up on Thybulle too early and whether he might’ve been rejuvenated under a new head coach in Nick Nurse.
In a separate story for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Gina Mizell previews trade season for the Sixers, identifying some potential big-name trade targets while also considering what sort of role players might fit in Philadelphia. A prototypical point guard, a more traditional center, and a “straight-up gunner” are among the pieces the club could keep an eye out for, Mizell suggests.
With Mitchell Robinson out for a couple months and Taj Gibson now a part of the roster, Tom Thibodeau‘s rotation at center for the Knicks looks pretty clear, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Jericho Sims will start, Isaiah Hartenstein will get the majority of the minutes, and Gibson will be available for insurance purposes. That’s how it worked out on Friday and Saturday, with Hartenstein averaging 30.5 minutes, Sims averaging 17.5, and Gibson logging a total of seven minutes in garbage time.