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Justin Martinez: Isaiah Hartenstein on the mindset of the team: “I think we’re at a point where stuff has all kind of sunk in now. We’re ready to move forward and ready to get back to the way we want to play and just approach each game like that.”
As Bobby notes, Oklahoma City's financial situation will make it difficult to trade for another high-salary contributor. The only Thunder players making more than $7.8 million this season are effectively untradeable: Williams, Gilgeous-Alexander, Caruso, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Barring a shocking trade of one of those players -- a swap involving Williams is perhaps feasible in a vacuum if the Thunder want to maximize their championship chances this season, but it seems inconceivable in context -- the Thunder won't be able to match the salaries of potential targets such as Trey Murphy III (New Orleans) or Michael Porter Jr. (Brooklyn). Nor will they be able to replace Williams' rare combination of offense, defense and size.
Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell immediately covered their eyes and looked away. Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was closest and looked toward his bench, covering his mouth with one hand. Isaiah Hartenstein was on the bench facing the play, covered his face in a towel and walked to the tunnel. The Clippers first checked on Jones, but upon seeing Williams, Rui Hachimura put his hands on his head and walked behind the stanchion. Brook Lopez covered his mouth and turned away. Dunn was later assessed a flagrant 1 for his involvement. Williams’ teammates looked shocked when they noticed his foot curving left. The Thunder’s medical staff surrounded him for several minutes while he lay on the floor.
Justin Martinez: Final: Thunder 108, Clippers 101 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 34 points and 6 boards Ajay Mitchell: 18 points and 6 boards Isaiah Hartenstein: 12 points and 12 boards It's hard for anyone inside Paycom Center to celebrate right now. Everyone's thoughts are with Jalen Williams.
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Clemente Almanza: Mark Daigneault said Chet Holmgren (quad contusion), Isaiah Hartenstein (ankle soreness) and Jaylin Williams (heel soreness) are out tonight. So are Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber
Justin Martinez: Isaiah Hartenstein made a surprise visit to Positive Tomorrows today, dishing out snacks and then assists during the after-school basketball class. Hartenstein and The Hartenstein Foundation also donated $22,101.54 thanks to fundraisers with two local companies. Positive Tomorrows is Oklahoma’s only elementary school and social service agency specifically for children and families experiencing homelessness.
Isaiah Hartenstein will not play for Germany this summer after suffering an ankle injury, the German Basketball Federation announced. Following discussions with his NBA team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, all parties agreed that the 2.13-metre centre should not risk aggravating the injury.
But in the latest press release by the German Basketball Federation (DBB), it was revealed that Isaiah Hartenstein won't be able to play for his country this summer. This development comes as a significant blow to the team's frontcourt depth ahead of their crucial qualifying matches. Hartenstein suffered an ankle injury, and after extensive consultations with the medical staff of the Oklahoma City Thunder, it was decided that it is in his best interest to focus on rehabilitation this summer.
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Your future in Oklahoma City wasn't secure after the season ended. Now you've signed a new three-year contract. How important was it for you to remain part of this project? Isaiah Hartenstein: I really wanted to stay with this team for the long term and continue playing for a title contender. Of course, I was aware of my market value. It was already higher than what we negotiated. But because of the second apron and the way the team is structured, I had to accept a slightly lower salary. It's still a lot of money, of course, but it's a pay cut I had to accept for the sake of the team.
The changes are due, at least in part, to the stricter salary cap rules, including the first and second aprons. Criticism of this is growing louder… Isaiah Hartenstein: It's always difficult for us. These rules were introduced back then because of Kevin Durant 's move to the Golden State Warriors , to prevent teams from having too many players of that caliber. But currently, it's not working out as intended. We're a team that has built up players from scratch, who then have to be traded again because of the second apron. That's a shame. It was the same issue with my contract. It's not like the team doesn't want to pay you. But when you're in the second apron, it's no longer just a financial question; you're also severely restricted in trades. That makes it really difficult for a team, and I think ultimately it hasn't really helped the players either.
Why didn't it ultimately work out for you? Isaiah Hartenstein: We played Game 7 without two of our top scorers. That obviously made things more difficult. If we can just get healthy again and play at this top level, things will look good. But we don't want to make excuses now; that's not why we lost. They deserved to win. We're not a team that says the opponent only won because of this or that. We're going into the season again knowing that we can compete at the top and that sometimes you just need a little bit of luck. In our championship season, we were injury-free. The same was true for New York this time.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward-center Isaiah Hartenstein is back with Germany’s senior national team, making it clear that his return is about far more than just adding another chapter to his international career. After more than eight years away from the program, the 28-year-old big is excited to represent Germany once again, having last worn the national team jersey back in February 2018 during a FIBA World Cup 2019 Qualifiers matchup against Georgia. “I’m really happy,” he stated in a recent interview with German media outlet Basketball World. “I actually wanted to play for the last two years.”
