Isaiah Hartenstein joins the New York Knicks

Isaiah Hartenstein will play for the New York Knicks in the future. The German agreed to a two-year deal with the New Yorkers at the start of free agency.

Hartenstein will earn around $16.3 million during that period, leaving the LA Clippers after just one season. Kelly Iko (The Athletic) first reported on the change of the German, the Orlando Magic were probably also interested in the 24-year-old.

The center had established himself as a backup center with the Clippers after not even having a guaranteed contract in his pocket before the start of the season. Nevertheless, Hartenstein pushed a prominent veteran out of the rotation in Serge Ibaka and sometimes even ended games for the Californians instead of starter Ivica Zubac.

With an average of 8.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in 17.9 minutes, the German set personal bests in all important categories and hit 62.6 percent from the field.

The Knicks are the fifth team in the NBA for the 2018 second-round pick. After two years with the Houston Rockets, Hartenstein played for the Denver Nuggets and Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2020-21 season before recommending himself to the Clippers.

Currently there are only two real bigs in the roster after the trade from Nerlens Noel to the Detroit Pistons in Obi Toppin and Taj Gibson. Mitchell Robinson, who started as a center last year, is an unrestricted free agent but hasn’t made a decision yet.