Among the bottom of the barrel in rebounding percentage a season ago, which was compounded by a second-round playoff exit at the hands of Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, the Oklahoma City Thunder entered the 2024 offseason looking to acquire the best available big man.
The franchise’s wish came true when it landed Isaiah Hartenstein — the former New York Knicks center, who had his best year in 2023 — on a three-year deal worth $87 million. The signing patched a glaring hole and helped the Blue and Orange skyrocket in potential.
Winning 57 games and executing a sweep in the first round, the foundation of a contender was there. Perhaps the only need was help on the backboards.
Is I-Hart not enough?
Hartenstein snatched rebounds at an impressive rate last season, as evidenced by his 244 offensive rebounds, which ranked second in the NBA, and an impressive 14.4 offensive rebounding percentage, also second in the association. Then, you consider that he pulled off these numbers in a modest 25 minutes per game, and you begin to imagine the kind of production he can string together if he gets out there more often.