To help maximize their championship window, the Oklahoma City Thunder addressed a glaring hole this summer by bolstering the front court with the addition of former New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein.
The big man’s arrival back in July catapulted the Thunder to among next season’s title favorites and supposedly makes the team a perennial contender for the Larry O’Brien Trophy. But in today’s NBA, trade talks will always be rampant, particularly for a team that has shown no reluctance to make surprising moves over the last handful of seasons.
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The report
During a recent episode of “The Hoop Collective,” veteran NBA analyst Brian Windhorst reported that the Knicks are in the market to explore a trade for Julius Randle, the two-time All-NBA and three-time All-Star forward, who is set to earn roughly $30 million next season.
Immediately, that number rings of Hartenstein’s annual salary. And if the Thunder can extend that kind of money to a bench player, then they can certainly pay that to one of the best players at his position, right?