Reports: Thunder sign free agent center Isaiah Hartenstein to 3-year deal
The Thunder also agreed to long-term extensions with Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, sources told ESPN
Updated: 1:28 PM CDT Jul 1, 2024
AND YOU’RE UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST FIRST ALERT FORECAST. WELCOME TO CRASHING THE BOARDS. I’M HANNAH HOOVER, BRYAN KEATING HAS THE NIGHT OFF. WELL, THE NBA DRAFT HAS COME AND GONE AND IT WAS CERTAINLY AN EVENTFUL ONE FOR THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER SATURDAY. OKC INTRODUCED THE NEWEST ADDITIONS TO THE TEAM FROM THE NUMBER 12. NUMBER 26 AND NUMBER 38 DRAFT PICKS. IT’S NIKOLA TOPIC, DYLAN JONES AND AJ MITCHELL. AFTER THIS PAST SEASON, OKC IS NOW IN A STAGE WHERE THEY ARE COMPETING FOR THE NBA FINALS. SO HERE’S A WORD FROM SAM PRESTI ON THIS YEAR’S DRAFT CLASS. WE DRAFT PEOPLE BEFORE WE DRAFT PLAYERS, AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON HAS THEIR OWN PATH. NIKOLA TOPIC SAYS THE THUNDER HAVE WELCOMED HIM WITH OPEN ARMS, SENDING HIM MESSAGES, AND IT ALL STARTED WITH THIS HUG FROM JALEN WILLIAMS THE NIGHT OF THE NBA DRAFT. THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME AND THAT JUST SHOWED HOW GREAT GREAT THEY ARE, NOT JUST ON THE BASKETBALL COURT AND OFF. AND WE’RE REALLY EXCITED TO PLAY WITH THEM. THEY’RE ALL VERY YOUNG AND VERY PERSPECTIVE. SO I THINK ALL THREE OF US CAN ADD TO IT AND CAN TRANSLATE OUR GAMES. BUT TIME WILL BE THE GREATEST TEST FOR TOPIC SELECTED AS THE NUMBER 12TH OVERALL PICK, HE IS EXPECTED TO MISS HIS ENTIRE ROOKIE SEASON DUE TO A PARTIALLY TORN ACL EARLIER IN THE MONTH. I’M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH CHET, WHO DIDN’T PLAY HIS FIRST YEAR, SO WE ASSUMED THAT THAT WOULD BE THE CASE WITH ME. SO I’M REALLY, REALLY, REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, AND I’LL TRY TRY MY BEST IN TERMS OF THE NBA DRAFT, DYLAN JONES IS ONE OF THE OLDER GUYS. HE HAD A LONG JOURNEY TO THE NBA. HOWEVER, HE TURNED DOWN A CONTRACT JUST LAST YEAR. MY BROTHER TOLD ME SOMETHING THAT REALLY MADE MY DECISION LAST YEAR. HE WAS JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, HE YOU COULD PROBABLY RUN UP AND DOWN THE COURT AND, YOU KNOW, BE IN THE NBA AND JUST SAY, YOU IN IT. BUT LIKE, WHAT DOES THAT DO FOR YOU? YOUR GOAL SHOULD BE TO MAKE IT. YOUR GOAL SHOULD BE TO STAY STARTING AS A NO STAR RECRUIT IN 2020, HE EARNED A SPOT ON WEBER STATE’S ROSTER HIS SENIOR SEASON. HE AVERAGED 20 POINTS AND TEN REBOUNDS. YOU MAY RECOGNIZE WEBER STATE BECAUSE MILWAUKEE BUCKS PLAYER DAMIAN LILLARD WENT TO SCHOOL THERE AS WELL. YOU KNOW, BEING A GUY MADE ME KNOW WHAT THE GUY WILL NEED FROM ME. SO YOU KNOW, PLAYING ON A TEAM WITH GREAT PLAYERS I THINK THAT’S WHAT I LEARNED. THE MOST. SELECTED IN THE SECOND ROUND RJ MITCHELL WILL FACE THE TASK OF EARNING HIS SPOT ON THE ROSTER IN SUMMER LEAGUE AND G LEAGUE PLAY, BUT THIS WOULDN’T BE THE FIRST TIME FROM LU DORT TO AARON WIGGINS, SEVERAL THUNDER PLAYERS IN THE SAME POSITION HAVE FOUND THEIR WAY INTO THE ROTATION. THIS TEAM HAS DONE IT BEFORE WITH PLAYERS IN MY POSITION, SO REALLY EXCITED TO BE IN THIS POSITION AND BEING ABLE TO BE IN THIS ORGANIZATION IS A BLESSING FOR ME, SO IT’S ALL ABOUT JUST WORKING HARD AND DOING MY PART AND BEING READY AT ANY TIME. PLAYERS LIKE MITCHELL ARE GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF THE YOUTHFUL TEAM FROM THE WEST. JUST SEEING THE TEAM ON, BUT ALSO OFF THE COURT, HOW CLOSE THEY ARE. I THINK THAT STRUCK ME AND I THINK THAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT. I THINK I WANT TO BE PART OF A FAMILY. WELL, OKC THUNDER IS A FAMILY UNIT FOR SURE. IT’S WHAT MAKES THIS TEAM SO UNIQUE AND SO FUN TO WATCH. ALL SEASON AND POSTSEASON. ADDING MORE YOUTH TO THE FAMILY THIS WEEK. NIKOLA TOPIC IS A RISK WITH HIS INJURY, BUT A CALCULATED ONE, AND THE THUNDER FOUND DILLON JONES SO VALUABLE THEY WERE WILLING TO GIVE UP FIVE FUTURE SECOND ROUND PICKS. AFRAID HE MAY NOT FALL TO THE SECOND ROUND, AJ MITCHELL LOOKS TO BE
Reports: Thunder sign free agent center Isaiah Hartenstein to 3-year deal
The Thunder also agreed to long-term extensions with Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, sources told ESPN
Updated: 1:28 PM CDT Jul 1, 2024
The Oklahoma City Thunder have landed a 7-foot-tall inside man by signing free agent center Isaiah Hartenstein, according to ESPN.>> Related Video Above: Looking at OKC Thunder's 2024 draft classNBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Thunder and Hartenstein have agreed to a three-year, $87 million deal. The center comes to Oklahoma City after spending the last two seasons with the New York Knicks.Hartenstein averaged 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 64.4% from the field last season. H was one of just three players last season with at least 85 blocks and 85 steals, and he held opponents to shooting below 53%.Although he's only 26, Hartenstein will join his sixth team since entering the NBA during the 2018-19 season. ESPN calls Hartenstein an elite defender who "possesses impressive vision and playmaking ability for a center."The Thunder also agreed to long-term extensions with Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, sources told ESPN.Top Headlines OHP: 8-month-old dead, 2-year-old in critical condition in UTV incident outside of Norman 17-year-old shot, killed after gun accidentally discharges at southeast OKC business, police say Looking at the numerous Oklahoma laws that go into effect on July 1 Supreme Court sends Trump immunity case back to lower court, dimming chance of trial before election University of Oklahoma, Sooner fans celebrate move from Big 12 to SEC
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Thunder have landed a 7-foot-tall inside man by signing free agent center Isaiah Hartenstein, according to ESPN.
>> Related Video Above: Looking at OKC Thunder's 2024 draft class
NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Thunder and Hartenstein have agreed to a three-year, $87 million deal. The center comes to Oklahoma City after spending the last two seasons with the New York Knicks.
Hartenstein averaged 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 64.4% from the field last season. H was one of just three players last season with at least 85 blocks and 85 steals, and he held opponents to shooting below 53%.
Although he's only 26, Hartenstein will join his sixth team since entering the NBA during the 2018-19 season. ESPN calls Hartenstein an elite defender who "possesses impressive vision and playmaking ability for a center."
The Thunder also agreed to long-term extensions with Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, sources told ESPN.
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