Knicks Lose Star Center; Championship Contention Over?

The New York Knicks are picking up the pieces after losing top free agent center Isaiah Hartenstein to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who signed him to a three-year, $87 million contract.

The deal was more than what the Knicks could offer at four years, $72.5 million, so this wasn’t an issue of New York not giving enough. Simply put, the Knicks got outbid for him. However, not bringing back Hartenstein could knock the Knicks out of the top tier of teams in the NBA.

“The New York Knicks go from a team that could win a championship to a team that cannot,” WFAN’s Brandon Tierney said. “It’s not their fault. He outgrew the contract. He had a big season. Things happened. Without [Isaiah] Hartenstein, the Knicks are not a championship team.”

Hartenstein, 26, was a massive boost to the Knicks this season. When Mitchell Robinson had to undergo ankle surgery in the middle of the year, Hartenstein stepped in and up, even taking the starting job in the middle of the season. When Robinson returned, Hartenstein remained in the starting lineup while he reverted to a reserve role.

Hartenstein was a great partner in the pick-and-roll game for Jalen Brunson, which generated a lot of the Knicks offense, especially in the playoffs. On top of that, Hartenstein became one of the better defenders in the league, protecting the rim like only few can in the NBA. Analytically speaking, Hartenstein has emerged into one of the better centers in the league, which is why his pricetag ballooned to $29 million per year on the free agent market.

Are the Knicks immediately knocked out of the championship contender conversation with Hartenstein out? It’s too early to say since we’re still 11 months away from the NBA Finals. That being said, the Knicks have made improvements to cushion the blow of losing Hartenstein, like signing OG Anunoby to a five-year extension and trading for Mikal Bridges.

The Knicks will be a new team without Hartenstein and they will have to adapt to life without him. Maybe if they can find a way to fill in his gaps, the Knicks will be firmly supplanted in the title contender conversation.

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