Oct 9, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center/forward Isaiah Hartenstein (55) shoots a three point basket against the Charlotte Hornets during the 1st quarter of a game between the Charlotte Hornets and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Isaiah Hartenstein's Outside Shooting Could Unlock OKC Thunder Offense

Originally posted on Oklahoma City Thunder on SI
By Ivan White | Last updated Oct 10, 2025 1:30 PM ET

Some of Oklahoma City’s starters saw their first preseason action on Thursday night, and the Thunder’s big man might have given a preview of what’s to come this season.

In the Thunder’s first home preseason contest, they beat the Charlotte Hornets 122-116. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stole the spotlight with his first action since Game 7 of the NBA Finals and Lu Dort and Alex Caruso each made their preseason debuts, Isaiah Hartenstein might have had the most intriguing evening.

With eight points, three rebounds and four assists in 18 minutes, Hartenstein put together a solid debut, but he also turned some heads with his shot selection. He finished the night 0-of-2 from beyond the arc and nailed a shot from the left wing with his toe just on the 3-point line.

Although it’s hard to take anything away from a preseason game, it appears that Hartenstein might be ready to become a more polished shooting threat to help space the floor. Last season, Hartenstein’s passing certainly made him a valuable player on the perimeter, but adding some shooting touch, and more specifically, a willingness to shoot, could help him take the next step this year.

Last season, Hartenstein finished the regular season shooting 0-of-19 from 3-point range, flirting with the NBA record for most attempts in a season without a make. After his performance from deep last year, it appears that the Thunder big man is ready to take a stab at becoming a more consistent outside shooter.

Hartenstein has sporadically tried to get the three-ball going throughout his career, with a 14-of-30 season for the LA Clippers in 2021-22 being his most notable. While he almost certainly won’t be getting up three shots on the perimeter in games on a consistent basis, his ability to become a legitimate shooting threat from beyond the arc could be incredibly valuable for the Thunder’s spacing.

While Oklahoma City still has some shooters who might fall under the “let them shoot” category, Hartenstein is the only player in the rotation who didn’t shoot from outside last season. Assuming he can at least get to around league average or even slightly below, putting up around one three per game could be exactly what the Thunder need.

In particular, Hartenstein’s added 3-point gravity could be huge for Chet Holmgren, who might be on his way to a breakout year and struggled offensively in some double-big lineups last season. While Hartenstein’s ability to knock down threes might not be enough to change anything for the Thunder, any boost in that area would be a welcome sight.

This article first appeared on Oklahoma City Thunder on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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