The Thunder made Isaiah Hartenstein a suggestion he couldn’t refuse and one the Knicks couldn’t match.
Hartenstein, the beloved Knicks middle, has agreed to a three-year, $87 million contract with the No. 1 seed within the Western Convention this previous season, in accordance with ESPN.
The Knicks may solely supply 4 years and $72.5 million.
Hartenstein’s representatives labored on the deal in a single day because the NBA free company window opened Sunday, per ESPN, and the Thunder added much-needed measurement.
Comply with all the most recent updates on NBA free company, together with signings, trades and rumors.
The Knicks will now need to discover a backup middle in what’s a restricted market.
Hartenstein’s contract options an annual common worth of $29 million, which is greater than 50 % higher than the $18.1 million his Knicks deal would have featured.