(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
You have to choose your battles in the NBA.
The CBA prevents teams from paying all their players as much money as possible, keeping the league balanced and competitive.
That’s why, with Mikal Bridges arriving in the Big Apple, the New York Knicks might not be able to keep Isaiah Hartenstein around.
ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski explained that the Knicks would be very aggressive in their pursuit to keep OG Anunoby, so that means they won’t be able to keep up with other teams interested in their backup big man (via Knicks Muse).
Woj on ESPN:
“The Knicks are going to be aggressive in keeping OG Anunoby… what’s available to Hartenstein out there may beat the Knicks. They want to bring back OG Anunoby and certainly have the opportunity to do that.” pic.twitter.com/fDTsYZ9rgk
— KnicksMuse (@KnicksMuse) June 26, 2024
Anunoby is their No. 1 priority, and they will reportedly have to pay around $35 million per year to re-sign the former Toronto Raptors star.
So, with Mitchell Robinson still under contract and multiple teams allegedly keeping tabs on Hartenstein, their chances of keeping him are quite slim.
Of course, he could always take a pay cut to run it back with Tom Thibodeau’s team, but there are few incentives to do so, as he has to maximize his value while he can, and backup big men don’t usually get to sign lucrative contracts.
Hartenstein was a great energy guy on both ends of the floor for the Knicks, and he stepped up big time when Robinson was out injured, but that’s just how things go in this line of business.
As for Anunoby, he earned every single penny of the deal that’s coming his way, although there will always be concerns about his availability, especially playing for a coach like Thibodeau.
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