Isaiah Hartenstein previews exciting dynamic with Shai-Gilgeous Alexander this season

The swirl around the Oklahoma City Thunder has only mounted as the 2024 NBA preseason continues to play out. While many were excited to see the team's new-look roster unfold, there was much speculation regarding creating chemistry and how head coach Mark Daigneult would deploy various lineups.

With Oklahoma City adding star big man Isaiah Hartenstein over the summer, the first thing many pointed to was the bond he could generate on the court with superstar point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Known for his slithery playmaking skills inside the perimeter, No. 2 feels like the perfect set-up guy for a skilled 7-footer, especially one that is particularly regarded for creating opportunities in the pick-and-roll.

Hartenstein has already showcased a promising profile in the limited minutes he has played in the preseason. When everything comes together for the start of the regular season, the expectation for the big man and the entire team will be nothing short of amazing.

Excited to develop camaraderie

Getting players to gel on the court has been the last of the Thunder's concerns in recent years. With a unique blueprint in place, the team has thrived with young talent, creating a dynamic on both sides of the ball that few teams can match. OKC's personnel are glaring. But then you consider how many players are young and in the early stages of development.

Isaiah is another young piece to the puzzle, and so is Shai. As both players continue to march toward their peak, a pairing may have come at an ideal time, as the guard could use another big body to free him in the lane while the big man can apply what he has learned in the past — having the opportunity to play with James Harden, Jalen Brunson, and more — to a growing Thunder offense.

"I feel like I played with a lot of guards in the past that were high-level. He's definitely something different," Hart says of his superstar star teammate. "I feel like he's one of the best guards in the league, if not the best guards in the league."

Sky is the limit for OKC

Gilgeous-Alexander has a season of playing winning basketball next to another star big man, Chet Holmgren. The rising sophomore is one of the core pieces of the championship puzzle and someone with a much higher ceiling than Hartenstein. But both players deliver a fresh perspective on the court, and the biggest beneficiary of that is the Thunder's star point guard.

It may take some time for the trio to get used to playing with one another. But with Hartenstein's interior savvy and unique passing ability, Holmgren's developing triple-threat abilities, and the pure firepower of SGA, there is no limit to how impressive the Thunder can be this season.

Related: Injury updates to key Thunder players ahead of preseason game against the Nuggets