Knicks sign center Isaiah Hartenstein to a 2-year deal

While the other New York basketball team hemorrhages players, the one people actually care about keeps adding them. On the heels of securing Jalen Brunson to a new contract, the Knicks signed center Isaiah Hartenstein to a two-year, $16M deal, presumably to back up Mitchell Robinson once he’s re-signed.

A second-round pick by Houston in 2017, Hartenstein is a legit 7-footer who can help out protecting the rim and shooting from outside, two areas the 2022 Knicks were middle of the pack. He made 14 of his 30 3-point attempts for the Clippers last year, by far the most attempts he’s had in any season; it’s impossible to project what kind of year he has from deep off such a small sample (the four years prior to last year, he took 17 3-pointers, total). Hartenstein joins Brunson, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett as lefties. I don’t know if that means anything, but it’s quirky enough to note!

Options are good in life. Hartenstein is a completely different center than Mitch and Jericho Sims. Given New York’s not historically great 3-point game, especially after losing Alec Burks, the mere threat Hartenstein offers from beyond the arc could be a welcome change of pace.

Stay tuned to P&T for anymore breaking news. What do you make of the Knicks’ opening day of free agency so far? Comment, comrade.