Getty Isaiah Hartenstein #55 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball while defended by Obi Toppin #1 of the Indiana Pacers.
Isaiah Hartenstein is flourishing in Mitchell Robinson‘s absence. It bodes well for the backup New York Knicks center’s upcoming unrestricted free agency.
Hartenstein is thrilled to finally prove he’s a starting-caliber center in the NBA. But his personal goal will not get in the way of the bigger goal — to win in the playoffs. So he’s more than thrilled to learn that Robinson, his best friend on the team, could return late in the regular season.
“It’s something that can be really great,” Hartenstein said via New York Post. “I feel like even the second half of last season me and Mitch were kind of 50-50 on minutes. So when he comes back that’s 48 minutes of high-level center play. So I’m excited for him to come back. I think it’s something that’s going to take our team to another level.”
The NBA rejected the Knicks’ application for a Disabled Player’s Exception for Robinson, raising hopes that the injured center will return for the Knicks’ playoff push. He is scheduled to be re-evaluated by mid-February (6-8 weeks from his mid-December ankle surgery).
Isaiah Hartenstein’s Stock is Rising
Since Robinson went down with the ankle injury on December 12 in Boston, the Knicks are 10-7 with Hartenstein stepping up, and at times looked better with the rest starters on offense because of his playmaking and deft passing.
The 25-year-old German-American backup center has logged in double-digit rebounding in 8 of those 17 games without Robinson. Hartenstein is coming off an 8-point, 15-rebound effort in the Knicks’ tough 128-124 loss in Dallas on Thursday, January 11.
During Robinson’s absence, Hartenstein is averaging 10.8 rebounds, 8.2 points, 2.6 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.6 blocks while shooting 64.6% from the field. During this best stretch of Hartenstein’s career, he’s no. 3 in the league in offensive rebounds (4.0) and top-15 in both total rebounds and blocks.
Hartenstein will certainly earn a massive raise from the $8.1 million he’s earning this year. Teams who will be in the market for a starting center can throw their full midlevel, which is projected to be at $13 million at Hartenstein or even more if it becomes a bidding war.
Hartenstein will be one of the top free agent centers along with Brooklyn Net’s Nic Claxton and New Orleans Pelican’s Jonas Valanciunas this summer.
The Knicks own Hartenstein’s early Bird rights but using this exception limits their offer to just two guaranteed years with a first-year salary of up to the greater of 175% of Hartenstein’s final year salary or 105% of his average salary for the prior season.
It will be interesting to see if the Knicks will go all out in retaining him this offseason.
Mitchell Robinson’s Mental Health Battle
A dejected Robinson went offline from all of his social media accounts, citing mental health issues.
“My mental health [has] been giving me hell [in] the past few weeks. So, I’m going to be [offline] from social media for a while until I get myself back. I appreciate everyone who supports me on my journey. All love,” Robinson’s last Snapchat post said that was picked up by Knicks Muse on X.
Hartenstein, who always talks to Robinson on the phone every after Knicks games during his absence, per The Athletic, offered his insight.
“At the beginning of the surgery, you never know what can happen,” Hartenstein said via New York Post. “There can be setbacks. There could be times when it goes faster. So he was kind of just — he wants to come back before the season ends, but you never know with injuries like that, if there’s a setback, if it goes better than expected. So that’s kind of where he was at [when the injury first happened]. I think him [potentially coming back] is something good for him, a point where he can strive to. So I’m excited for him. I think it’s going to help him be more optimistic about the whole situation.”
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