Tom Thibodeau discusses plan for replacing Isaiah Hartenstein

Losing Isaiah Hartenstein was a significant blow for the New York Knicks this summer. 

The veteran big man had established himself as one of the best backup centers in the NBA, stepping into a pivotal role for the Knicks following Mitchell Robinson's injury issues last season. However, he will be suiting up for the Oklahoma City Thunder next season, while New York has been unable to replace him within its rotation.

During a recent interview with NBA.com's Steve Aschburner, Thibodeau revealed his plan to replace Hartenstein's production off the bench. He noted how the Knicks must accept a committee approach to plugging the gap his departure has left, with Jericho Sims likely to see an uptick in playing time.

"When he [Mitchell] went out, Jericho Sims started initially, then he got hurt," Thibodeau said. "Then Isaiah came in and did what he did. But when he got hurt, Precious [Achiuwa] came in along with Taj Gibson. So we rotated guys at that position the entire year. We’ll probably have to do it by committee. We’ll look at some different things, because we have versatility — we could see Julius more at the 5. I don’t want to do that for long stretches, it would take its toll, but to have him do it for 10 or 15 minutes, I think he can do it well."

Last season, Hartenstein averaged 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, shooting 64.4% from the field. He was a starter in 49 of the 75 games he played in for Thibodeau's team. Assuming Robinson's injury issues are behind him, New York won't need a starting-caliber big man on their bench. As such, Sims and Precious Achiuwa should both find opportunities to plug the backup center role. 

It will also be interesting to see how much time Randle is given at the center position. His scoring and rebounding ability will give Thibodeau plenty of opportunities to explore small-ball lineups, so long as the veteran forward can sustain the physical toll of lining up against opposing bigs. 

Regardless of how the Knicks look to bridge the gap left behind by Hartenstein, it's clear they have enough depth and talent to overcome his absence. Whether they go looking for a genuine replacement closer to the Feb. 6 trade deadline remains to be seen, but they're still one of the biggest threats in the Eastern Conference.