Richard Jefferson wants everyone to pump the brakes on the OKC Thunder

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.

That opportunity will inevitably manifest next season with the Thunder. Although Isaiah is unlikely to be a starter, he’ll play starters’ minutes and a ton down the stretch of tight contests. With OKC being short of reliable big men in 2023, Hartenstein will get his time to shine.

Many concluded that the Thunder’s season ended perhaps prematurely because they didn’t have support in the frontcourt for rookie center Chet Holmgren. With Hartenstein in the fold, what could slow down the Bricktown boys now?

Apparently, even the A+ addition of the 26-year-old center won’t be enough to outmatch opponents in 2024, at least according to former NBA star Richard Jefferson. In a recent podcast episode, the retired forward explained what may prevent the Blue and Orange from reaching their best next season. Is OKC still shorthanded in the frontcourt?

“OKC, to me, they don’t have enough bigs,” says RJ. “Hartenstein is great. He is an awesome big. But you don’t have a backup. … You look across the line, and yeah, they added size. But they need a legitimate backup to Hartenstein. Because if Hartenstein tweaks a nail and has to miss two weeks, now you’re back in the exact same spot. If he is in foul trouble, now you are in the same spot. You don’t have a backup big. ... But now they are one little injury away from not having the needed bigs to battle all of the other things in the West.”

While the Thunder lacked a serviceable big man outside of Holmgren last season, they still captured the top seed in the West, showing that they can still be an elite team. And even if they didn’t get someone to support the young center in the frontcourt, if OKC was that dominant with a rookie Chet, what can they be with a prime Chet?

However, why wait until No. 7 becomes his absolute best, especially when you can add a star-caliber center to help compound his success? Now that the Thunder have two stars in the frontcourt, many in the NBA world think it is enough to catapult OKC to the NBA Finals. That said, although Jefferson’s points are valid, Hartenstein will technically be the backup to Holmgren. So, while OKC doesn’t have a third-string center, it will come down to lineup dynamics to stagger minutes between Chet and Isaiah to allow the team to get the most bang for its buck.

Related: OKC has one of the best second-round picks in the league