Retaining Isaiah Hartenstein might value the Knicks Mitchell Robinson.
The Knicks have mentioned transferring Robinson with different groups, in keeping with Yahoo, as they try to retain Hartenstein in free company.
Hartenstein is “typically anticipated” to return to the Knicks regardless of what may flip right into a bidding battle for the veteran huge man.
The Knicks had a powerful offensive-defensive mixture on the 5 with Mitchell, the defender, and Hartenstein, the offensive-oriented participant, however it might not make sense to maintain each.
Robinson has two years left and roughly $27.3 million — $14.32 million in 2024-25, $12.95 million in 2025-26 — on the four-year, $60 million extension he signed in 2022.
Whereas Robinson is a top-notch defender, he has struggled to remain wholesome.
He’s performed in simply 90 video games since signing the extension, and appeared in simply six of 13 postseason video games as a consequence of a stress fracture in his left ankle that required surgical procedure.
As Robinson spent many of the yr sidelined, Hartenstein flourished. He averaged 7.8 factors and eight.3 rebounds this yr, and appeared in 157 of 164 regular-season video games during the last two years.
That manufacturing and availability makes him a sizzling commodity.
Since they’re over the cap, the Knicks can solely provide Hartenstein a contract with a median annual worth of roughly $17 million with a max provide of 4 years and $72.5 million.
The Thunder are seen as severe contenders coming off a season through which they led the Western Convention in wins, however sources advised Yahoo that Oklahoma Metropolis is anticipated to court docket a “situational reserve huge man,” which isn’t a task a group would pay huge cash for.
In addition they simply acquired defensive whiz Alex Caruso in change for Josh Giddey.
The opposite high free-agent huge males embody the Nets’ Nic Claxton and the Pelicans’ Jonas Valanciunas.
If the Knicks decide to transferring Mitchell, they might be one in all many groups making an attempt to deal a giant man.
Yahoo reported the Bucks’ Brook Lopez, the Hawks’ Clint Capela, the Jazz’s Walker Kessler and the Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart are potential commerce targets for groups needing measurement.
