How did the New York Knicks let Isaiah Hartenstein slip through their fingers? When the Oklahoma City Thunder signed him to a three-year, $87 million deal, critics questioned the price tag for a player seen largely as a backup center. But hindsight tells a different story. In OKC, Hartenstein has been a revelation—anchoring the defense, cleaning the glass, and seamlessly fitting into the Thunder’s high-energy, team-first identity. Fast forward to now: What once looked like an overpay now feels like a steal. And the question still lingers: how did New York not see this coming?
Actually, you can’t hold a bird that wishes to fly. The Knicks did not want to let Isaiah Hartenstein leave; that, too, after his breakout year. In fact, they offered him the most they could, which was a four-year $72.5 million deal. However, the center wanted to test the free agency, yet the Knicks did not pull the offer. They wanted him back, but just weren’t allowed to pay him what he thought he was worth at the time. It was an emotional departure for the Knicks supporters, as Hartenstein was a fan favorite at MSG, or should we say he still is?
Recently, the NBA Champion with the OKC revealed a private conversation between him and die-hard Knicks fan and ESPN analyst, Stephen A. Smith. Hartenstein, while on Paul George’s podcast, revealed what the ‘First Take’ host said to him during last season’s NBA Finals after the host put the question: “Do you remember when some loud dude named Stephen A. Smith referred to you as some dude named Hartenstein? Do you got anything to say to somebody that said that? What the heck’s that?”
“I mean, funny thing, he came back to me in the finals, like, bro, I miss you. I miss you in New York. So we cool and stuff. But I think just at the time, it’s funny,” Hartenstein explained how they missed him in New York. Well, it’s understandable why Stephen A. Smith feels that way. Who wouldn’t after seeing him suiting up for the OKC Thunder? Hartenstein contributed significantly to Thunder’s run to the Finals and helped them win their first ring.
Jan 26, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) looks to pass the ball during the second half against Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (00) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Not to mention, his lethal partnership with Chet Holmgren. So, it’s clear why Smith misses the big man so much at New York. However, it hasn’t always been this way. Smith wasn’t the biggest Isaiah Hartenstein supporter. On the contrary, he had some controversial takes about the 7-footer.
Stephen A. Smith once referred to Hartenstein as “that dude”
We all know how much of a New York Knicks fan ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith is, or at least he claims to be one. That’s because even though he claims to be a die-hard but there’s no way he watches them play frequently. Smith has been caught lacking several times. Like, for instance, once he said, “I am a bigger star than most of the New York Knicks. That’s a damn shame.” Demeaning everybody in the locker room. However, you might think that he would’ve learnt from his mistake, right? Wrong.
If this wasn’t bad enough, the ‘First Take’ host took things up a notch. Smith further lauded Isaiah Hartenstein for “giving activity off the bench,” which raised a lot of eyebrows because previously, he referred to the center as “some dude named Hartenstein” while speaking about his team. Fans were quick to point out flaws in Smith’s analysis. Not only did he pronounce the big man’s name wrongly, but he also missed the fact that Hartenstein was in the starting lineup in place of injured Mitchell Robinson.
Now, it has been a minute since this incident happened, but fans were eager to know how Isaiah Hartenstein felt about Smith’s statement. “The funny thing is, when I saw it, I was like… I wasn’t like I was not playing at the time. I was playing. I was a part of the team. I was like a big part of the team at the time. So I don’t know who showed it to me. He’s like, yo, you saw this? I was like, what?” Hartenstein said on ‘Podcast P.’ He was stunned by Stephen A. Smith’s unawareness and couldn’t believe what he said.
However, this story does have a happy ending with Hartenstein and Smith patching things up during the finals when the ESPN analyst revealed that he missed him playing for the Knicks.
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