(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The New York Knicks are hoping to build upon the success they had last season and become the best team in the Eastern Conference.
That was already a tough task but it’ll be even tougher now that they have lost Isaiah Hartenstein.
Speaking on ESPN Radio, Tim Bontemps said the Knicks will have a difficult time replacing Hartenstein, who is moving to the Oklahoma City Thunder with a three-year, $87 million deal.
Bontemps stated that the Knicks have had a great offseason with the addition of Mikal Bridges, but losing Hartenstein is going to hurt a lot.
While the #Knicks have had a great offseason so far, this is a key loss and they have to find a way to replace Isaiah Hartenstein, which is NOT going to be easy to do. @TimBontemps with @EvCoRadio @PaulHembo filling in on #Greeny https://t.co/6OcxPDw02E pic.twitter.com/lZgY2q4RfA
— ESPN Radio (@ESPNRadio) July 1, 2024
Hartenstein averaged 6.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game during his two seasons with the Knicks.
He gained a ton of attention during the postseason when he provided help during the absence of Mitchell Robinson.
Robinson has a history of getting hurt and, sadly, the Knicks now won’t have Hartenstein as a backup big man moving forward.
They have improved their roster in a few important ways and the addition of Bridges could be huge for the Knicks.
But the loss of Hartenstein’s size and strength could hurt them a lot.
Becoming the best team in the Eastern Conference is very hard, especially because the Boston Celtics are so dominant in just about every single way.
With this move, the Knicks have gotten weaker while the Oklahoma City Thunder have gotten a lot stronger.
The Knicks still have time to figure out someone to replace Hartenstein but they might be without someone to slide into his spot in the new season.
The post Analyst Says Knicks Have Suffered A Key Loss In Free Agency appeared first on The Cold Wire.