New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein has set himself up for a massive payday during the 2024 NBA offseason. Set to become a free agent, Hartenstein will hit the market this summer coming off the best season of his career.
He saw his role change massively this season, as Hartenstein entered as the backup to Mitchell Robinson. When Robinson went down with an ankle injury that required surgery, Hartenstein was thrust into the starting lineup. After a slight adjustment period, he has really taken off.
The former second-round pick has become one of the most impactful two-way players in the NBA. New York’s defense hasn’t missed a beat with Hartenstein playing a larger role, as he provides rim protection and switchability on the perimeter similar to Robinson.
Offensively, both Robinson and Hartenstein hit the glass aggressively looking to create second-chance opportunities. But, Hartenstein has raised the team’s performance to another level on that side of the court with his ability to make plays with the ball in his hands.
Slick passing has become something of the norm from Hartenstein, who finds cutters and hits them with perfect bounce passes. He has also gotten more aggressive when receiving the ball from Jalen Brunson out of double-teams, becoming deadly with his push-shot floater from about 8-12 feet away.
Knowing that he has put himself in a position for a huge raise this offseason, Hartenstein should have a robust market during NBA free agency. However, if has it his way, he won’t be going anywhere this offseason.
When speaking to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, one of the topics that came up in discussion was his free agency. Hartenstein admitted that he knows the NBA is a business, but sticking with the Knicks would be ideal.
“I’m focused on what I’m doing right now. I know I’ve put myself in a great position to get a little upgrade. Right now, I’m focused on the Knicks. I love it here, and hopefully, we’ll figure something out, but at the end of the day, business is business,” Hartenstein said.
The feeling is almost certainly mutual for the Knicks. They love what Hartenstein brings to the table and finding a replacement for him would not be easy. Luckily, the front office has done a wonderful job of keeping the books clean in recent seasons and there is a path to retaining Hartenstein this offseason.
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