Knicks Center Problems Causing Concern

The New York Knicks are taking many steps in the right direction this offseason by trading for Mikal Bridges and signing OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson to long-term deals.

However, it did force them to take a step back with Isaiah Hartenstein, who signed a three-year, $87 million contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder shortly after the start of free agency.

Bleacher Report writer Dan Favale believes that Hartenstein is the Knicks’ biggest loss of the offseason.

“New York could not have matched the three-year, $87 million deal (2026-27 team option) Hartenstein received from Oklahoma City without chiseling out the requisite cap space. That doesn’t much soften the blow,” Favale writes. “Bridges’ arrival might. Ditto for lineups featuring OG Anunoby and Julius Randle on the frontline. But center is now, by far, the Knicks’ thinnest position without Hartenstein. Unlike Mitchell Robinson or Randle, head coach Tom Thibodeau could slot Hartenstein in the middle without having to worry about him limiting the team’s dynamism at either end of the floor. That two-way impact will be missed.”

There is no quick fix when it comes to replacing Hartenstein, especially with his value on the defensive end. The Knicks are getting 70 cents on the dollar with Robinson taking back his spot in the starting lineup, but it remains to be seen how much New York’s interior defense will be affected.

If the Knicks can have Robinson transform his game to be more similar to Hartenstein’s, this problem won’t be a big one. However, it’s naive to think that Robinson can just be Hartenstein. They are two different players and Robinson likely won’t be able to mimic Hartenstein’s role.

The Knicks don’t want Robinson to be Hartenstein, they want him to be himself. However, that may mean that the Knicks take a step back if they lose too much in the post on defense.

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