Isaiah Hartenstein eyes 'deadly' combo with Chet Holmgren in OKC Thunder frontcourt

The immediate reaction for many to Isaiah Hartenstein’s addition was what it meant for Chet Holmgren. Those expecting the Thunder to view the game through prescription glasses and not beakers and tubes thought the worst. 

But there’s a utopia where it’s possible that, in the minutes they share, that Hartenstein would hope to make life easier. A hope to not take from Holmgren, the promising center, in favor of Holmgren, the prospective power forward — which general manager Sam Presti has emphasized all along. 

“I think with my IQ, I'll have to do a little bit more of the dirty work so he can chill a little bit,” Hartenstein said on Saturday at Paycom Center.

Hartenstein expressed enjoyment in the idea of the two playing together. After all, he knew what signing up with this core meant. If Presti was open about anything, it was the significance of his Big Three’s development remaining steady. Hartenstein willingly obliged. 

“To me he's one of the most talented bigs in the NBA,” Hartenstein said of Holmgren, “so me and him on the court together I think is going to be very deadly.”

It’s been two years since Hartenstein was remotely used as a shooting threat. He joins OKC with an understanding of why he was so sought after — capabilities as a rim protector, ferocity as a rebounder, possibilities as a passer. But he’s not ruling himself out as a possible 3-point shooter, either. 

“I think when you're an NBA player, you have to adapt to certain roles, and that's what I had to do in New York,” said Hartenstein, who left the Knicks for a reported three-year, $87-million contract. “… So it's really just getting back to that and being more versatile because that's kind of what the team needs.”

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Joel Lorenzi covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joel? He can be reached at jlorenzi@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @jxlorenzi. Support Joel's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.