After a second straight Eastern Conference Semifinals finish, the New York Knicks went back to the drawing board. They face multiple free agent decisions, including starting center Isaiah Hartenstein .
The six-year center has expressed his desire to stay in the Big Apple. But more teams will have the cap space to offer him a lot more money than New York can.
Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus predicts that’s exactly what will happen this summer. He expects Hartenstein to sign a three-year, $60 million contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“The franchise will enter free agency with about $33 million in cap space, likely to add size that can play with or behind center Chet Holmgren,” Pincus wrote on June 14 . “Pencil in Isaiah Hartenstein of the New York Knicks.”
Pincus points out that the Knicks will be limited to an offer of $16.2 million per year for Hartenstein.
“Hartenstein, 26, has been a significant part of the Knicks’ postseason run as injuries have decimated the team (Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, etc.),” Pincus added. “New York is limited to an initial offering of $16.2 million through its Early Bird rights, an amount the Thunder can comfortably exceed.”
Mitchell Robinson’s injury pushed Hartenstein into the Knicks’ starting lineup.