Editor’s note: Inside The Thunder on Athlon Sports will be publishing a series of “biggest expectation” articles on each of the Thunder’s main roster players (incl. two-way contract players). This will be relative to roles and expectations for the 2024–25 NBA season. Next up in the series is Isaiah Hartenstein.
It’s almost time to show off that $87 million contract.
Isaiah Hartenstein was the Oklahoma City Thunder’s biggest and only free agent acquisition of the summer, and he enters year 1 with the franchise carrying the most expectations of any season of his career. With the Thunder expected to climb toward legit contender status, Hartenstein will have to harbor a large role.
The expectation
Adding one of the very best rebounders and defenders of the pine should do wonders for the Thunder. While it was hard to notice any flaws during the team’s 57-win season, the NBA playoffs were a different story. Teams gashed Oklahoma City’s interior with reckless abandon, securing easy rebounds and numerous second-chance points. While star big man Chet Holmgren ranked second among rookies in rebounds, his effort alone wasn’t enough to overcome the team’s collective issues on the backboards.