Hartenstein’s ex-Knicks teammates rant against NBA’s free agency rules

The Oklahoma City Thunder landed the biggest free agency acquisition of their franchise history this offseason by snagging Isaiah Hartenstein.

When the Thunder put a staggering three-year, $87 million contract on the table, Hartenstein didn't have many second thoughts as he instantly accepted the team's lucrative offer. The commitment of the 26-year-old officially completed OKC’s desperate hunt for another big man after last season's glaring frontcourt depth issues.

While it's already been months, and the 2024-25 season is just about to get under way, some prominent teammates of Hartenstein in the Big Apple still couldn't get over the fact that their center has moved on.

Restricted by the league's CBA

In the newest episode of the Roommates Show, podcast hosts Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, who were teammates of Isaiah in the last two seasons with the New York Knicks, vent about how the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) robbed them of the opportunity to retain the services of their beloved big man.

"I remember, Josh, we talked about that, about how we had Isaiah, but we could only offer him a certain amount," Brunson said . "But any other team could offer him whatever they wanted." Hart responded, "We were like hard capped, like being able to offer him like [four years for $72MM]. … We talked about it and It makes no sense."

As it is, Hartenstein played out of the two-year, $16 million deal he had with the Knicks that made him one of the most coveted free agents this summer. New York desperately wanted to re-sign him as he helped them contend in the last two seasons, but the organization was significantly limited to what they could offer him, as they hadn't yet obtained the full Bird Rights of the big man.

This cleared the way for the Thunder to outmatch the Knicks’ four-year, $72.5MM proposal as they successfully enticed Hartenstein to join them with a much bigger contract, albeit lacking security with the third year possessing a team option.

No blame on IHart for prioritizing himself

Last July, Hartenstein himself openly admitted that it was “hard” for him to leave New York and join Oklahoma City. Despite that, he argued that he had to take the bigger paycheck considering the circumstances of his personal living situation, as he and his fiancee are now building a family.

In the end, Hartenstein didn't make the wrong decision by prioritizing himself and maximizing his value. While the Knicks might still be bitter about losing him because of the restrictions imposed by the league's free agency rules, Isaiah can only look forward to his fresh start and the bigger opportunities that await him on the Thunder.

Related: Isaiah Hartenstein ranked among top NBA centers