Isaiah Hartenstein Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Isaiah Hartenstein Fractures Left Hand

October 17th, 2024 at 8:49am CST by Dana Gauruder

Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein, one of the summer’s top free agent acquisitions, sustained a small, non-displaced fracture in his left hand during the second half of Tuesday’s preseason game in Denver. He will be reevaluated in five-to-six weeks, the Thunder announced on Thursday.

Given that timeline, Hartenstein will be sidelined until at least late November.

The injury temporarily derails Oklahoma City’s plans for a bigger lineup pairing Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren. Oklahoma City was already dealing with frontcourt injuries — Jaylin Williams is nursing a right hamstring strain, while Kenrich Williams had a knee procedure last month.

Jalen Williams figures to reclaim the power forward starting role until Hartenstein returns.

Hartenstein had a breakout season with the Knicks in his walk year and cashed in, signing a three-year, $87MM deal with the Thunder that includes a team option for 2026/27. Hartenstein averaged 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks in 25.3 minutes per game last season. He also started 13 postseason contests with Mitchell Robinson sidelined.

Hartenstein had appeared in three preseason games with the Thunder.

Northwest Notes: Hartenstein, Avdija, Westbrook, Nuggets, Jazz

October 4th, 2024 at 9:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to reporters this week for the first time as a member of the Thunder, Isaiah Hartenstein said all the right things about his potential role, as Rylan Stiles of SI.com relays.

There has been plenty of debate in Oklahoma City this summer about whether the team’s major free agent addition will start or come off the bench, given the presence of Rookie of the Year runner-up Chet Holmgren at center. For his part, Hartenstein sidestepped that discourse, telling the media that he trusts head coach Mark Daigneault‘s judgment in managing the lineup and rotation.

“Whatever he does, he’s a really versatile coach. I mean, you watched last year. Some games the guys who would start would start the second half,” Hartenstein said. “(I’m) just being here and doing whatever the team needs to win. If that’s coming off the bench or starting, I’m just here to help the team win. That’s the main thing.”

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

Having been traded from Washington to the Trail Blazers in July, Deni Avdija admitted it initially felt “kind of weird” to join a new team, but added that he’s adjusting quickly, according to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. “They’ve embraced me, they love me and they want me to get better,” Avdija said. “And I feel like that’s what you need as a new guy joining the team. I feel like my teammates support me, coaches. I feel at home.” Head coach Chauncey Billups referred to Avdija as a “Swiss Army knife-type of dude,” lauding the forward’s play-making, passing, screening, and shooting while noting that the plan is to use him “all over” the court.
The addition of Russell Westbrook represents the “ultimate chemistry experiment” for the Nuggets, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic, who says the move has the potential to blow up — or to help Denver win another title. Westbrook shot just 3-of-10 from the floor in his preseason debut on Friday in Abu Dhabi, but had 12 points and eight assists in 19 minutes, with Denver outscoring Boston by four points during that time. “I thought Russ had some good moments out there,” head coach Michael Malone said, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “Obviously playing downhill, putting pressure on the defense, getting his teammates involved. So overall for his first game after a week or so of practice, I think there are gonna be some positives, and like everybody else in that locker room, there are plenty of things that we can clean up as well.”
Although Christian Braun started at shooting guard on Friday, Malone said that both Braun and Julian Strawther will get an opportunity to play with the Nuggets‘ starters during the preseason, tweets Durando.
Reporting throughout the offseason indicated the Jazz plan to lean heavily on their young players in 2024/25, which will serve the dual purpose of letting Utah thoroughly assess its recent first-round picks while also potentially lining up the club for another high first-round pick next June. Head coach Will Hardy‘s comments this week reinforced the notion that winning games isn’t “the absolutely priority” for the team this season, writes Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. “Going into this season, I think our vision is very clear: This is an opportunity for us to really invest in our youth,” Hardy said.

Northwest Notes: J. Williams, Hartenstein, Caruso, Jazz, Scoot, R. Williams

October 3rd, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Thunder big man Jaylin Williams has been ruled out for the remainder of training camp and the preseason due to a right hamstring strain, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman.

Upon his return, Williams is poised to back up a crowded frontcourt that is composed of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Coach Mark Daigneault was especially complimentary of what Williams brings to the table.

“Those guys are really, really verbal players,” Daigneault said. “Defensively especially, that position has to be the most vocal on the court. [Williams] is a very bold communicator in his coverages.”

Williams will be reevaluated after the preseason, per Lorenzi.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Thunder offseason acquisitions Hartenstein and Alex Caruso have been as advertised, Lorenzi writes in a separate story. Both players have been early standouts in training camp. “I think the easiest thing for both of us is that we both play really hard,” Caruso said. “When you have that as your base and your foundation, the rest of the stuff will fall into place.”
Messaging from the Jazz has been clear all offseason regarding their desire to focus on youth. Walker Kessler is among the players the front office considers as part of its young core. However, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune, John Collins sees and considers himself a starter, which primes the Jazz for a starting center position battle in camp. Head coach Will Hardy threw another name in the ring – that of free agent addition Drew Eubanks – when speaking to media. Larsen notes that the Jazz tried starting Lauri Markkanen, Collins and Kessler together last season, but that supersized lineup wasn’t successful.
Many scouts and fans regarded last year’s No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson as a generational prospect when he entered the draft. While Henderson struggled to score efficiently and didn’t garner the headlines that No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama did, he still showed he could have a long future in the league. Perhaps underrated entering his second season, the Trail Blazers guard averaged 16.6 points and 7.1 assists in his last 19 games last year. Head coach Chauncey Billups indicated he’s seen improvement from Henderson this offseason. “You can tell that his confidence is so much different now,” Billups said, per Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Twitter link). “He plays ferocious, as we all know, but he has a little extra chip on his shoulder now after having struggled his rookie year. So I’ve been happy with where he’s at. I think Scoot’s going to have a good season.”
After playing in just six games last year due to knee surgery that ended his season, Trail Blazers center Robert Williams has been taking steps to return this year. According to Highkin (Twitter link), Williams went through all of practice as a full participant on Tuesday before sitting out Wednesday with soreness. The team is being careful with him in his recovery and his status for the preseason opener is to be determined, per Highkin.

Northwest Notes: Blockbuster Trade, Clingan, Avdija, SGA, Holmgren

September 29th, 2024 at 5:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The three-team blockbuster deal that would send Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks and Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves is still on track but has not been completed, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN tweets.

The expectation is that the deal, which also includes the Hornets, will become official early this week, Shelburne adds. Thus, the players in the deal won’t be at their respective training camps when they open on Monday.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

With the Trail Blazers about to open camp, Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report explores the five biggest storylines heading into the season. That includes the learning curve for lottery pick Donovan Clingan, the backcourt rotation, and how offseason acquisition Deni Avdija will fit in.
In a similar theme, Rylan Stiles of Sports Illustrated takes a look at one question that each Thunder player must answer as they head into training camp as the Western Conference favorites. Some of the topics Stiles explores is whether Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can add a 3-point shot to round out his offensive game, whether Chet Holmgren will experience an offensive uptick and what role newcomer Isaiah Hartenstein will play.
In another Thunder-related story, Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman lists a number of potential starting lineups they could employ and the strengths of each of those combinations. He also looks at a number of combinations the coaching staff could use during the course of the game.

Thunder Notes: Expectations, Trade Philosophy, Jones, More

September 25th, 2024 at 10:50pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Thunder are being projected to finish atop the Western Conference standings again this season after winning 57 games in 2023/24. However, general manager Sam Presti doesn’t think the team is simply entitled to the outside perspective on them; he knows they have to prove it, writes Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman.

“The difference is that external expectations are things that some people think should happen,” Presti said, “and possibilities are things that we feel could happen, but we have a lot of respect for how hard it is for those things to take place. We don’t think we’re entitled to start on third base.”

After adding Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso to their core, Presti knows they’ll have to sort out some wrinkles early in the season.

“We’re going to need some time with this particular group, especially because we’re not trying to wedge those guys in or have assumptions about how they’re going to fit with certain players,” Presti said. “We kind of have to allow that to take its course, and as a result I think our continuity will not be great early, but if you look at continuity in the NBA, continuity generally shows up, or lack thereof, early in the year.

“There’s certain things that we’re going to have to confront, even if that means not getting the immediate benefits or the numbers might not look particularly good, but ultimately we’re going to have to get good at addressing these particular situations, issues, whatever it might be.”

As Lorenzi writes, that could mean experimenting with Caruso playing alongside other talented defenders like Cason Wallace and Luguentz Dort, or going with a two-big look by lining up Hartenstein next to Holmgren.

We have more from the Thunder:

At the end of last season, Presti said he might need to reevaluate how he operates with in-season trades. When asked again on Wednesday about that philosophy by Daily Thunder’s Brandon Rahbar (Twitter link), Presti said he thinks it’s hard to get a player up to speed quickly in the middle of the season. He reiterated that continuity is important and that the Thunder’s new players are going to take time to fit in. Presti didn’t rule out in-season trades, but he did express the need to be patient with internal development and exercise caution when adding new players. “Everyone tends to, when there’s a team that’s in regression or plateau period or whatever you want to call it, the default is [to] hit the trade builder,” Presti said. “Because to really have a very nuanced conversation about the other things, the internal things, I think that gets a little hard for people, because there’s a lot more gray area there and probably a little more expertise on that, to be speaking that language, rather than hit the builder and flip people in and out, But every time you do that, you’re adding risk to your existing team.”
If Kenrich Williams‘ injury lingers into the regular season, the Thunder may need to rely on rookie Dillon Jones sooner than expected, Rylan Stiles of SI writes. Jones, a 6’5″ small forward, showed scoring and defensive prowess collegiately at Weber State. The 26th overall pick averaged 20.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 2.0 steals in college.
In a mailbag, Lorenzi discusses several challenges the Thunder may face in 2024/25. For starters, the team may need to improve its three-point volume after ranking 16th in attempts but first in efficiency last season. Additionally, Oklahoma City will need to rely on Hartenstein to help defeat teams that pack the paint like Dallas did last year.

Northwest Notes: Cui, Braun, Caruso, Hartenstein

September 21st, 2024 at 10:57am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Trail Blazers did not want to hold back Yongxi Cui after he got a better offer from the Nets, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report tweets.

Also known as Jacky, Cui officially signed a two-way contract with the Nets on Friday. He had previously agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with the Blazers, but hadn’t officially signed it.

If he’d come to camp in Portland he would have been competing for a two-way spot, according to Highkin. When the Nets offered him one outright, Portland didn’t want to stand in the way of the undrafted rookie.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

In a subscriber-only piece, Harrison Wind of TheDNVR.com takes a look at how defenses will adjust to the Nuggets’ starting five with third-year guard Christian Braun replacing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Braun appeared in all 82 regular-season games last season but made just four starts and only played 28 regular-season minutes with Denver’s other four starters on the court. Caldwell-Pope signed with the Magic early in free agency.
There’s been plenty of talk regarding the defensive impact of newcomers Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein on the Thunder. However, their offensive contributions will be just as key, Esfandiar Baraheni of Sportscasting.com writes. Caruso will help the team in the underrated roles of screener and secondary play-making. Hartenstein’s solid screening and short-roll game will also add to the versatility of Oklahoma City’s offense.
In case you missed it, we took a look at every Northwest Division team’s roster as training camps approach.

Thunder Notes: Defense, K. Williams, Daigneault, Franchise History

September 18th, 2024 at 9:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

The offseason trade for Alex Caruso and the addition of Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency have improved the Thunder‘s defense to the point where it might be one of the best in NBA history, claims Michael Pina of The Ringer. He points out that Oklahoma City ranked fourth in the league defensively last season and every personnel decision was aimed at getting better, including sending Josh Giddey to Chicago in the Carsuo deal.

There are no weak links on defense anymore and no obvious spot for opponents to attack, Pina adds. The Thunder have a roster filled with switchable defenders who possess the speed and size to excel in coach Mark Daigneault‘s attacking scheme.

OKC boasts plenty of exceptional one-on-one defenders on the perimeter, starting with Luguentz Dort, who uses physicality to disrupt the rhythm of the man he’s guarding. Pina notes that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander works exceptionally hard on defense for an MVP candidate, while Jalen Williams brings a wingspan that’s greater than his height, Cason Wallace plays like a smaller version of Jrue Holiday, and Chet Holmgren ranked second in the league last season in challenging shots at the rim. Adding to that mix is Caruso, who has made the All-Defensive team the past two seasons and has a knack for forcing turnovers.

Hartenstein will help fix the rebounding deficiency that was especially evident in the playoffs last spring. Pina states that the big man should also affect the philosophy on defense by allowing the Thunder to utilize more drop coverage and limit three-point shots from the corner.

There’s more from Oklahoma City:

The Thunder’s depth should enable them to be patient with Kenrich Williams as he recovers from a knee operation, writes Rylan Stiles of Sports Illustrated. The veteran forward underwent an arthroscopic debridement procedure on his right knee on Tuesday and will be reevaluated following the preseason. Stiles states that OKC should bring Williams along slowly and make sure he’s healthy for later in the season.
Since taking over as head coach, Daigneault has tended to use his bench more than any other coach in the league, Stiles adds in a separate story. That approach should be effective this season as the Thunder have one of the NBA’s deepest rosters.
If Seattle gets approved as an expansion city, the Thunder will give the franchise history back to the SuperSonics, sources tell ESPN in an overview of the expansion process. Oklahoma City’s owners already seem to view the Thunder as a separate enterprise, the authors add, having declined to hang a banner for Seattle’s 1979 championship and listing Russell Westbrook as the team’s career assists leader rather than Gary Payton.

Knicks’ Thibodeau Talks Offseason, Randle, Centers, More

September 17th, 2024 at 2:33pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to Steve Aschburner of NBA.com, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau acknowledged that losing Isaiah Hartenstein leaves a hole to fill in his rotation but expressed satisfaction with the front office’s work this offseason on the whole.

“Obviously the OG signing was huge for us. And then adding Mikal was phenomenal,” Thibodeau said of re-signing OG Anunoby and trading for Mikal Bridges. “Getting Julius (Randle) back will be huge as well. We lost Hartenstein, which is what we’ll have to replace. But I think we have versatility, where we can play smaller at times because of OG’s ability to guard big. Julius and (Josh) Hart can guard big as well.”

As Thibodeau pointed out, the fact that players like Anunoby and Bridges are capable of defending a wide range of positions will give the Knicks the ability to switch frequently on defense and force opponents to settle for lower-percentage shots.

The Knicks’ head coach discussed several more topics with Aschburner, including what makes Jalen Brunson special, Randle’s return to action following his shoulder surgery, and how he envisions replacing Hartenstein’s production in the frontcourt.

The conversation is worth checking out in full for Knicks fans, but here are a few highlights:

On how adding Bridges to Anunoby on the wing will help the defense:

“What it adds to us is the versatility of both allows us to give different looks to a primary ball handler. We’ve been playing Donte (DiVincenzo) on those guys to start. Now we can come after that with Bridges, then OG, then Hart. We can constantly change up our look for who’s guarding that ball-handler. Also, OG and Hart are very disruptive off the ball, so I like to use them that way. The versatility of the defense will be a big thing for us.”

On why he’s optimistic about Randle’s outlook for 2024/25:

“I think Julius has always adapted to whatever challenge he’s faced each year. People forget the level that he’s played at. Four years ago, he had a monster season and we didn’t have the shooting we have now, so the floor is going to be more open. We got a glimpse of that in January, which was his last month of basketball.

“People forget the guy was 25 (points), 10 (rebounds), and five (assists per game). He’s had a lot of success and he’s been a big part of winning the last four years in New York. The more good players you have, the more sacrifices you have to make. Not only by Julius, by everybody.”

On what he expects the frontcourt rotation to look like without Hartenstein to back up starter Mitchell Robinson:

“We’ll probably have to do it by committee. We’ll look at some different things, because we have versatility — we could see Julius more at the five. I don’t want to do that for long stretches, it would take its toll, but to have him do it for 10 or 15 minutes, I think he can do it well. He also would create a lot of (offensive) advantages.”

Northwest Notes: Hartenstein, Edwards, Gobert, Nuggets

September 7th, 2024 at 5:35pm CST by Luke Adams

The debate over whether or not Isaiah Hartenstein should start for the Thunder remains a hot topic among fans in Oklahoma City as training camp nears, writes Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman.

Lorenzi expects Hartenstein to toggle back and forth between the starting five and the second unit depending on matchups, writing that whether or not he starts matters less than the lineups he’ll play with.

Lorenzi wouldn’t be surprised if the Thunder’s top free agent addition plays alongside Chet Holmgren frequently at the start of the season, as head coach Mark Daigneault gathers information on how the duo performs together, but Hartenstein will also be a crucial piece in non-Holmgren lineups, which badly needed a rim protector last season, Lorenzi notes.

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

The ongoing development of Anthony Edwards is the key to the Timberwolves continuing to raise their ceiling, according to John Schuhmann of NBA.com, who breaks down some numbers and film in considering how the All-NBA guard could keep getting better.
Referring to the four-time Defensive Player of the Year as the league’s “favorite pin cushion,” Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic defends Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert from some of the criticism he’s taking this offseason after being on the wrong end of a Luka Doncic highlight in the Western Conference Finals and playing limited minutes for France during their run to a silver medal at the Paris Olympics. Gobert was a huge part of Minnesota’s success last season and will be even more critical in 2024/25, Krawczynski contends.
In a subscriber-only mailbag for The Denver Post, Bennett Durando explores several Nuggets-related topics, including what Michael Porter Jr.‘s next contract might look like and where Zeke Nnaji stands as he enters a four-year, $32MM extension. General manager Calvin Booth has made it clear he still believes in Nnaji, Durando writes, but the big man’s deal “obviously looks terrible” after a poor 2023/24 showing.

Hartenstein: Leaving Knicks ‘Was Definitely Hard’

July 16th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Isaiah Hartenstein struggled with the idea of leaving the Knicks but he couldn’t pass up the money and chance to play for another contender. That’s why he chose the Thunder in free agency, he told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.

“I was going to make sure I was set for the rest of my life,” Hartenstein said. “But then at the same time, if it wasn’t a team like OKC, I would’ve taken a pay cut because I loved it (in New York). But I now have an opportunity to make that money, make that pay raise, and still compete. I think that was the main factor.”

The Thunder targeted Hartenstein to pair up with Chet Holmgren in their frontcourt. They signed him to a three-year, $87MM contract, which includes a team option in the third year.

Although the Knicks wanted to retain Hartenstein, they were limited to a maximum offer of approximately $72.5MM over four years, since they only held his Early Bird rights, which allowed for a raise of up to 75% on his $9.25MM cap hit from 2023/24. The Knicks offered him the max they were allowed.

Additionally, Jalen Brunson tried to persuade Hartenstein to stay put.

“They said whatever we can give you, we’re going to give you,” Hartenstein said. “I talked to Jalen a couple times, Jalen and the guys. They really wanted me back and I really appreciate that. But it was definitely a hard decision. I couldn’t say no to an opportunity like this.”

Brunson signed a team-friendly extension this month but Hartenstein wasn’t making big money most of his NBA career. He totalled $22.65MM in career earnings in his first six seasons. He also recently became a father.

“He’s kind of in a different situation than I’m in. Already made $100 million (in his career). He’s the star player, knows he probably won’t ever get traded. So it’s a different situation,” Hartenstein said. “But that also shows what kind of a leader he is to make those sacrifices. I don’t think a lot of people are making those sacrifices. I think our situations are a little bit different but I have a lot of respect for him as a player and a human being for doing that.”

The Knicks still haven’t replaced Hartenstein. Oft-injured Mitchell Robinson is penciled in as the starting center with Jericho Sims as his backup. All things being equal from a monetary standpoint, Hartenstein would have re-signed.

“It was hard. For me if it wasn’t a situation like Oklahoma City with a chance to win, I don’t think I would’ve left. But that money is — you have to think about it, I just had a child so. …But it was really hard,” he 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.”