Detroit Pistons Tied to Knicks Big Man Ahead of Free Agency

Following their trade for Tim Hardaway Jr, the Detroit Pistons still find themselves with over $50 million in cap space heading into free agency. Just hours before things get underway, they’ve been tied to one Eastern Conference big man.

Among the players hitting the open market is New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein. While he’s expressed a desire to stay with the team, their trade for Mikal Bridges could complicate things. The Knicks also just spent big money locking down OG Anunoby on a long-term extension.

In his latest news dump, Yahoo Sports‘ Jake Fischer touched on what kind of market could form for Hartenstein. He mentioned the Pistons as a team that could potentially go after the free agent big man.

Hartenstein could also receive an offer from the Pistons, sources said, where Detroit has upward of $55 million in cap space and new president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon is known to be a fan of Hartenstein, sources said.

Over the past few seasons, Hartenstein has proven to be one of the top reserve big men in the league. He split time as a starter and reserve for the Knicks last year, posting averages of 7.8 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 1.1 BPG.

During the Knicks’ postseason run, Hartenstein proved how valuable of piece he can be to a team’s supporting cast. Along with providing size and physicality in the frontcourt, he is a reliable scorer around the rim in the right role.

For the Pistons, Hartenstein could be a good mentor for Jalen Duren as he continues to develop. His experience could also be a boost for Detroit as they look to bounce back from having the league’s worst record last season.