During the last season, Hartenstein played in 75 games. He averaged 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. His role expanded to starting center when Mitchell Robinson, the usual starter, was sidelined by ankle injuries at various points in the season.
Oklahoma City had the top record in the Western Conference last season and made it to the Western Conference semifinals, where they lost in Game 6 to the Dallas Mavericks. With the addition of Hartenstein, the Thunder now have a strong group of frontcourt players, including Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Jaylin Williams, which gives them a solid presence in their pursuit in the Western Conference.
During the regular season, the Thunder ranked 27th in rebounds per game with 42, and 28th in rebound percentage at 48.4%. In the playoffs, they performed slightly worse with 41.5 rebounds per game and a rebound percentage of 47.5%. By signing Hartenstein, the Thunder aim to improve this aspect of their game.
Last season, Hartenstein significantly increased his free-throw rate to 43.0 attempts per 100 field goal shots, up from 21.7 per 100 the previous season. This was the largest jump among 262 players who had at least 200 field goal attempts in both seasons.
At just 26 years old, Hartenstein is considered one of the NBA's top role players. He's a versatile big man who excels at passing, rebounding, and defense. His importance grew with the Knicks after Robinson's injury, playing a key role as they advanced to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Thunder were active in the 2024 Draft, picking Nikola Topic at No. 12 overall. They also acquired Dillon Jones and Ajay Mitchell from the Knicks through trades. Earlier in the offseason, they bolstered their backcourt by trading Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for defensive standout Alex Caruso.
SOURCE: NBA