While the Oklahoma City Thunder might be done dealing for the offseason, general manager Sam Presti
came away with an absolute haul. While it began with securing Alex Caruso by trading Josh Giddey to
the Chicago Bulls, the Thunder also re-signed Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins to long-term deals while
bringing in New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein to anchor the defense and add size.
Every move made by the Thunder was intentional towards building a true contender and ensuring the
team has the tools needed to push for the NBA Finals as soon as next season. Signing Hartenstein is
what capped off the impressive offseason, though it wasn’t an easy decision for the former Knicks big
man.
Ian Begley of SNY was offering analysis on the change, using briefs from an individual with intimate
knowledge of the matter. Hartenstein found it “so hard” to choose between the Thunder and the Knicks,
the person claimed.
“The opportunity for big raise (OKC: 3/$87; NYK: 4/$72) while maintaining chance to compete for title
was a factor, per people familiar with decision,” Begley stated in his piece.
Begley asserted, citing intelligence, that he would have most likely returned to the Knicks in a jersey if a
rebuilding team had made a comparable cash offer.
In addition to receiving a huge salary, Hartenstein is moving on to a chance to contribute significantly to
a club that is vying for the championship and won 57 games the previous campaign. It should come as no
surprise that Oklahoma City paid so much for this free agent signing—it is the largest in the team’s 16-
year history.
It’s not easy to turn down a big salary to join a contender, but leaving New York City for Oklahoma City
is a difficult decision in and of itself. The Thunder, who added Caruso as a new addition, improved
tremendously this offseason and have a team that is designed to win more than 60 games.
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