Getty Isaiah Hartenstein during an April 30 game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
From the start of the regular season to the end of the postseason, Isaiah Hartenstein went from backup to starter for the New York Knicks. He solidified himself as a part of the team’s core.
Hartenstein won over any remaining members of the fanbase who weren’t sold on his talent, taking over the starting job midseason and guiding the team’s defensive efforts.
He saluted the team and the blue and orange faithful in an end of season Instagram post.
“Year 6,” Hartenstein captioned the June 2 video. “Thank you NY for making it so special!! Time to get back to work #foe.”
The team’s 2023-2024 run came to an end in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. New York lost in seven games to the Indiana Pacers.
Hartenstein finished the 2024 playoffs averaging 8.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. Now, he and the Knicks head into an offseason of uncertainty.
Hartenstein is an unrestricted free agent, and a recent report suggest he could be priced out of New York on his next deal.
Fischer: Hartenstein ‘Could Draw Upward of $100 Million’
In a column for Yahoo! Sports, insider Jake Fischer highlighted how high the ceiling is for Hartenstein’s next contract.
And how the Knicks are poorly positioned in any sweepstakes.
“The Knicks will be limited to offering their center a four-year, $72.5 million deal because of his early Bird rights,” Fischer wrote on May 31. “Any interested rival team will have the ability to double that amount — as much as $151.6 million over the same four-year length.”
Fischer went on to provide his own intel from around the league about the expected number Hartenstein will warrant this summer.
“There’s little expectation he’ll draw such a significant number,” Fischer continued. “But league executives and cap strategists are projecting Hartenstein will be able to draw at least $80 million, and perhaps upward of $100 million, from a team hoping to steal Hartenstein from Madison Square Garden.”
That’s not great news for anyone hopeful to see Hartenstein return next season.
An $80 million deal would be a full $7.5 short of what New York can match, and $100 million is firmly out of the question.
Hartenstein may face a tougher decision than he anticipated this summer come free agency. But he’s on the record in saying that the Knicks are where he wants to be.
Hartenstein to Scotto: ‘I Love It Here’
In an April 5 interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Hartenstein didn’t sound like someone who’s looking to depart New York.
He also acknowledged the margin for error, and what the business aspect of the sport could mean for his Knicks future.
“I’m focused on what I’m doing right now,” Hartenstein told Scotto. “I know I’ve put myself in a great position to get a little upgrade. Right now, I’m focused on the Knicks. I love it here, and hopefully, we’ll figure something out, but at the end of the day, business is business.”
But when asked if he’d stay in New York, provided they matched any offer he received, Hartenstein was absolute in his answer.
“Yes.”
That was before the playoffs, and that was prior to his market surging ahead of free agency. Whether or not Hartenstein still feels the same is yet to be heard or determined.
He and the Knicks can begin negotiating a new deal the day following the NBA Finals. It could be as early as June 14, or as late as June 23.
Universal conversations between teams and players won’t begin until June 30.
Regardless of when it is, trust that Leon Rose and the New York front office will be there with a competitive offer waiting.
The rest is up to Hartenstein himself.
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