Isaiah Hartenstein has not lived up to expectations since he signed with the New York Knicks this offseason. But should they trade him?
The New York Knicks broke their four-game losing streak with a statement win against the Cleveland Cavaliers. They finally faced a fully healthy Cavaliers team – the first time, they didn’t have Garland, and the second time they didn’t have Jarrett Allen. And in that win, there were many Knickerbockers that made impactful contributions. Julius Randle scored 36 points, Brunson made critical shots, and Grimes and Quickley played spectacular defense.
But nothing will stand out more than the fourth quarter impact that Isaiah Hartenstein had. He had an essential putback dunk and strong rebounds to prevent the Cavs’ second-chance opportunities, and he was dishing to his teams well. However, his blocked shot on Donovan Mitchell with seconds left on the clock in the fourth quarter will stand out more than anything else.
Now, the referee report returned and stated that Hartenstein committed a foul on Mitchell in the final seconds. But for the number of times, the Knicks are on the wrong end on calls. So we’ll accept that the ball bounced in the Knicks’ favor at last (yes, pun intended).
But outside of the best performance of Hartenstein’s Knick tenure, he hasn’t really fit into New York’s defensive identity.
Isaiah Hartenstein is known more as an offensive than defensive big. The thought process when he joined the Knicks was that he’d provide some playmaking and scoring, which would diversify the frontcourt from the shot-blocking, rim-running centers the Knicks currently had in Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims. And we saw some of that at the beginning of the season. Hartenstein displayed his floater, mid-range game, finishing around the rim, and facilitating.
However, we have not seen Isaiah’s skills utilized consistently because of Tom Thibodeau’s game plan. That’s why Hartenstein is having a down year on the Knicks compared to his time on the LA Clippers (and even the Cavaliers). Just look at the stats below:
| Season | Age | Tm | Lg | Pos | G | GS | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | 2P | 2PA | 2P% | eFG% | FT | FTA | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | 22 | TOT | NBA | C | 46 | 2 | 12.2 | 2.0 | 3.7 | .550 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .333 | 2.0 | 3.6 | .558 | .556 | 1.0 | 1.5 | .648 | 1.4 | 2.5 | 3.9 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 5.1 |
| 2020-21 | 22 | DEN | NBA | C | 30 | 0 | 9.1 | 1.4 | 2.7 | .513 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 2.7 | .513 | .513 | 0.7 | 1.2 | .611 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 3.5 | |
| 2020-21 | 22 | CLE | NBA | C | 16 | 2 | 17.9 | 3.3 | 5.7 | .582 | 0.1 | 0.4 | .333 | 3.2 | 5.3 | .600 | .593 | 1.5 | 2.2 | .686 | 1.6 | 4.4 | 6.0 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 8.3 |
| 2021-22 | 23 | LAC | NBA | C | 68 | 0 | 17.9 | 3.4 | 5.4 | .626 | 0.2 | 0.4 | .467 | 3.2 | 4.9 | .640 | .645 | 1.3 | 1.9 | .689 | 1.7 | 3.2 | 4.9 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 2.5 | 8.3 |
| 2022-23 | 24 | NYK | NBA | C | 49 | 7 | 18.5 | 2.1 | 4.2 | .488 | 0.2 | 0.7 | .242 | 1.9 | 3.6 | .534 | .507 | 0.6 | 0.8 | .756 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 6.1 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 4.9 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/26/2023.
So what should the Knicks do if he isn’t performing as he did in his previous destinations? I say they trade him, and that may be a real option.
Kevin O’Connor recently reported that he has heard from executives around the league that the Clippers are interested in Hartenstein – their previous backup center. O’Connor also says that the Clippers tried to re-sign Isaiah, but Hartenstein left for the Knicks because of more money and the feeling that he was wanted in New York. Kevin also notes that it’s probably best for Hartenstein to go back to LA because Thibodeau isn’t using him properly, which I have indicated on the show many times earlier in the season.
The quandary the Knicks are in right now is whether it makes sense to trade Isaiah with Robinson out for three to four weeks because of his thumb surgery.
Like everyone else, I’m in favor of Jericho Sims starting (and being the backup center once Mitch is healthy) because he fits the role of how Thibs utilizes his centers. But New York still needs a backup center. And right now, outside of Serge Ibaka, a name mentioned by Ian Begley, the market doesn’t seem great to find a backup center.
Here is a list of potential centers on the market:
- Mo Bamba: Kevin O’Connor reported the Clippers might be interested in acquiring him, so he could be on the market.
- Naz Reid: Michael Scotto reported that his name is in the mix of centers that could be traded.
- Nikola Vucevic: he is in the final year of his contract, and the Bulls need to determine if they’ll keep him or not (I don’t see the Knicks making this move because of Vucevic’s contract size).
- Jakob Poeltl: We know the Boston Celtics are interested in acquiring him. But do the Knicks make a call as well because he’d fit in Thibs’ system (granted, he’s a starter, so what would that mean for Mitch and Sims, who the Knicks just paid this past summer)?
- Andre Drummond: Once again, the Bulls must make decisions. He has another year left on his contract (it’s a player option), but trading for Drummond would make the center position crowded for another year.
Depending on the return from the Clippers for Hartenstein, the Knicks should consider the option. And if New York did move Isaiah, Naz Reid wouldn’t be a bad option because the Knicks could have him as a rental before he becomes a free agent this offseason. But of course, it all depends on the asking price for Reid because he has been a solid backup center for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Another option for the Knicks if they trade Hartenstein is to look in the G League and see if there is a player they could sign on the cheap. That way, Sims could start, and the G League center could fill in as a backup while Mitch is on the mend. Also, with the little money (relatively) that they invested in the G League center, they could be a third option on the bench once Mitch is healthy.
With all of that said, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Knicks stuck with Isaiah Hartenstein for the remainder of the season.
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. And in case you missed it, check out Alex’s conversation about the Boston Celtics with Keith Smith, writer at Spotrac, contributor to The Celtics Blog, and Host of Front Office Show.
