The bold move to sign Isaiah Hartenstein could end up salvaging the Oklahoma City Thunder's season.
In an attempt to take the next step forward in their progression as a franchise, the Oklahoma City Thunder made the bold decision to sign Isaiah Hartenstein to a nearly $100 million free-agent deal during the offseason. To be perfectly honest, I'll be the first to say that I was completely shocked by such a move. Even though I did believe that the Thunder needed to make an addition or two after losing in the Western Conference Semifinals to the Dallas Mavericks, I'm not sure if adding a center was necessarily the "right" move.
Nevertheless, nearly a month into the start of this season, that signing in retrospect looks genius. Hartenstein is still recovering from a pre-season injury but is expected back in the next 10-14 days, assuming the original timeline holds true. Hartenstein should return right in time to give the Thunder just the boost they'll need. After news that Chet Holmgren is set to miss the next 8-10 weeks with a hip injury, the move for Hartenstein makes even more sense.
The questions about where Hartenstein will fit on the Thunder are no longer a concern. It's clear that the Thunder need Hartenstein and that they need him back as soon as possible. Even though the Thunder are considered to be one of the deepest teams in the Western Conference, there's no question that they're going to miss Holmgren's presence in the frontcourt. Through the first few weeks of the season, Holmgren was averaging 16 points, nine rebounds, and nearly three blocks per game.
The Thunder need Isaiah Hartenstein more than ever
I wouldn't expect Hartenstein to completely fill the role that Holmgren was playing early on this season but he will certainly come in and help cushion the blow to the team. And, perhaps more than anything, that's one of the biggest reasons why Hartenstein was signed during the offseason. Already with an injury history in the two short years of his career in the NBA, the Thunder was looking for insurance behind Holmgren. That's exactly what they solidified with the signing of Hartenstein.
Hartenstein hasn't played a regular season minute for the Thunder and the signing already has to be considered a great move for the team. Assuming that he returns in the next two weeks, Hartenstein will be asked to help fill the void of Holmgren. And while he may not be as versatile as Holmgren, Hartenstein has proven that he can play a big role for a contender before. Last year in the playoffs, Hartenstein averaged nine points, eight rebounds, and nearly four assists for the Knicks as a starter.
With the expectation that Holmgren could be out until mid-January, the Thunder are going to need every bit of that and then some from Hartenstein. The Thunder are certainly a different team today than they were yesterday. However, because of the presence of Hartenstein on the roster, they may not be completely doomed. What a signing that could end up being for the Thunder.