Isaiah Hartenstein was a true surprise this season. His 7-foot frame already stood out on the Knicks, but that’s not the only reason why he stood out. Hartenstein came up big in the next-man-up game after Mitchell Robinson’s season-altering injury.
Hartenstein had the ‘hart’ in the games, starting 49 for the Knicks after only previously starting 12 combined games since 2018. Averaging 7.8 points-per-game may not be a lot, but then factor in 8.3 total rebounds and you have yourself one of the best defensive centers in the game.
Now heading towards free agency, it is believed that Hartenstein could command anywhere from the $80M-$100M range.
The Knicks will be part of what is expected to be a very large bidding war for the desirable center.