NBA Rumors: Breaking down 7 best and 5 worst moves after a chaotic free agency period
Isaiah Hartenstein signs with Oklahoma City Thunder - Worst move
While there are many around the league who praised the Oklahoma City Thunder for signing Isaiah Hartenstein away from the New York Knicks in free agency, I'm not entirely sure I understand the all-in move that the Thunder made for him. They added a much-needed starting center to solidify the team's frontcourt depth, but making Hartenstein the second-highest-paid player on the roster is a bold move. I'm not trying to say that Hartenstein doesn't deserve the huge contract he received from the Thunder, I wonder if there wasn't a better option the team could've used the money on.
For as good as Hartenstein is, I'm not sure he's tipping any playoff series in one direction. And for a player who is getting paid the second-highest salary, I'm not sure that's a good trait. Again, I don't think this is a bad signing, but I do question the thinking behind it considering the potential alternatives that could've been on the table for OKC.
Maybe I'm wrong and Hartenstein emerges as a huge missing piece for the Thunder, but I simply don't see it. And I don't think it's that outlandish to question the move.