Isaiah Hartenstein’s free agency came bearing gifts for him. The former New York Knicks center recently signed an $87 million deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder. When the news was made public by a Knicks social media account, it caught the attention of Josh Hart, and he had a hilarious response to it. The 29-year-old acknowledged that he never liked his now-former teammate but is happy about the new deal that he has bagged.
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Even though Hartenstein did enter free agency, no one expected him to sign a deal with another franchise. Known as one of the best role players in the league, the 26-year-old was believed to stay within the New York organization for another tenure.
However, now, it’s no longer a possibility. Maybe that is why Hart seems so pissed at him, which was clearly evident from his social media post. Responding to the news about Hartenstein’s deal, he wrote,
“You are dead to me Zay. I never liked you anyways. But congrats on the bag!”
It might be some inside joke that we are not privy to or it’s just Hart’s way of expressing his true feelings about losing his teammate. Whatever the case might be, Hart’s reaction is hilarious even in his time of disappointment.
You are dead to me Zay. I never liked you anyways. But congrats on the bag! https://t.co/EhixMJNRFt
— Josh Hart (@joshhart) July 1, 2024
The OKC was the top-seeded team in the West last season. Not being able to cruise through the conference semi-finals, last season, they are making their intentions clear for the next season by signing someone like Hartenstein.
The Thunder can benefit immensely from his size, physicality, and understanding of the intricacies of a role player. These are the same things that the Knicks will miss now, especially after he stepped up for them last season.
The Knicks wanted to retain Isaiah Hartenstein
Last season, the 26-year-old had 85 blocks and 85 steals, which made him the only one of three players in the league to clock those numbers. In addition, Hartenstein also showed great character for his team once Mitchell Robinson suffered his ankle injury. Despite being a designated role player, he did wonders for the Knicks, which is why they wanted to keep him for another season.
However, the best they could offer the 7ft 1″ center was a four-year, $72.5 million. This created enough space for a team like the Oklahoma City Thunder to sign him. Now that he has left a vital position in NY, the Knicks need to find a suitable replacement for Hartenstein.
