Cavs center Isaiah Hartenstein may be headed for opt out

Originally posted on FortyEightMinutes | By Sam Amico | Last updated 5/12/21

When healthy, center Isaiah Hartenstein has played well for the Cavaliers, and it may have earned him a larger paycheck, per Zach Lowe of ESPN.

Hartenstein, 22, is 7-foot-0 and has appeared in 16 games with the Cavs after a trade with the Nuggets. In Cleveland, he has compiled career-high averages of 8.3 points and 4.4 rebounds while serving as the primary backup to Jarrett Allen.

He has a player option for the veteran’s minimum on his contract, and Lowe wrote he wouldn’t be surprised to see Hartenstein opt out in search of more money — either from the Cavs or elsewhere.

Hartenstein suffered a concussion earlier this week against the Wizards, and his return this season is highly in doubt. He missed five games in late April and early May, also because of a concussion.

While Hartenstein’s rise has been a very limited sample size for a bad team, there’s a sense that he could test free agency this summer, anyway. If nothing else, he could possibly land a few more bucks and longer deal with the Cavs, or even head overseas for a larger contract.

Either way, Lowe is right. The idea of Hartenstein staying the course with his current deal seems unlikely.

This article first appeared on FortyEightMinutes and was syndicated with permission.

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