Isaiah Hartenstein may not be the loudest long-term question on Oklahoma City’s roster, but he might end up being one of the most important.
The Thunder locked him in on a three-year, $75 million deal this offseason, and for now, his value is obvious. He gives them a bruising rebounder, a solid screen-setter and a steadying presence that lets Chet Holmgren roam the floor in the defensive role that fits him best.
That’s why, if Oklahoma City ever gets to the point where it has to move someone, Hartenstein should be near the bottom of the list.
Still, the bigger picture is coming fast. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s contract climbs to $61 million in 2027-28 and eventually reaches $70 million before it runs out.
Cason Wallace is extension-eligible this offseason, while both Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain will reach that stage next year. The Thunder may not be able to keep all three of those younger pieces, but if they decide to try, the math gets tight in a hurry.
Three star-level contracts and a pile of mid-range deals do not leave much room. At some point, someone has to go, and Hartenstein’s contract is easy to move.
The only thing that would make Oklahoma City comfortable even considering that path is Holmgren’s growth. If Holmgren becomes more physical and more confident as a paint-bound big, the Thunder gain more flexibility at center. In that sense, Hartenstein’s future could depend in part on how Holmgren develops as he moves beyond his rookie deal.
For now, though, the Thunder need Hartenstein. In a physical playoff series like the one they just faced in the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, he was one of the few players who truly held everything together for them. Oklahoma City fell short because of thin ball-handling depth and a weakened offensive structure, but there were stretches when it would have been lost without Hartenstein handling the burden against Victor Wembanyama and company.
So moving him should not be on the table now.
Holmgren’s offense was shaky in that seven-game series, as he averaged 10.7 points while shooting 51% from the field. And defensively, he still can’t be fully optimized without Hartenstein beside him. The Thunder only saw a slight dip in defensive rating last season when Holmgren played without Hartenstein, but it was clear they had to lean harder on their perimeter defenders when the two weren’t both available.
None of that changes the reality that Oklahoma City will eventually have to trim this roster and sort through its contract load before Hartenstein’s deal expires.
That’s where Aday Mara and Thomas Sorber come into the picture. Both give the Thunder more options to consider, and both raise the question of whether one of them can grow into the kind of long-term big-man partner Holmgren has had with Hartenstein over the last couple of seasons.
In the end, though, everything comes back to Holmgren. If he can keep getting stronger, play more physically and hold down primary center minutes when Hartenstein is out, that gives Oklahoma City a different kind of confidence. Hartenstein wouldn’t suddenly become expendable, but when the roster crunch arrives again, Holmgren’s progress could shape the Thunder’s answer.
In Other News...
Thunder Face A Lu Dort Problem That Goes Beyond Defense
The Thunders offseason shakeup left more than one hole to fill, but Lu Dorts exit may be the toughest to replace in ways that dont show up first on a scouting report. He was a regular starter, a First Team All-Defense selection in 2024-25 and one of the leagues most disruptive perimeter defenders, which is exactly why Cason Wallace is the natural name to surface as the next man up on that side of the ball.
Still, Dort gave Oklahoma City something extra that made him harder to replace than a pure stopper. His rebounding from the guard spot helped the Thunder finish possessions and get out in transition, and thats where the concern starts to widen beyond simple defense. Wallace can chase wings and pressure the ball, but the Thunder will have to find another way to make up for the second chances Dort created. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder May Face A Brutal Choice To Keep This Contender Together
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The pressure is only going to get sharper as the team plans for long-term sustainability and searches for ways to keep enough depth around its stars. Oklahoma City has already shown a willingness to make tough roster decisions when the math demands it, and the challenge now is balancing a championship window with the kind of financial strain that can force even the best teams into painful choices. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Fans Suddenly Have A Real Reason To Revisit Westbrooks Retirement
Russell Westbrooks retirement announcement landed with real shock value, especially for fans who had grown used to seeing the former Thunder star find one more chapter somewhere in the NBA. His last stop came with the Sacramento Kings, and even after that, there was reported curiosity about a possible return for a second season. Instead, Westbrook made the decision public himself, and the news immediately sent people back through the what-ifs tied to one of the most familiar names in Oklahoma City basketball history.
Now the conversation has started to drift again toward whether the retirement is truly final. Zach Randolph has already floated the idea that Westbrook could still change course and come back to the league, which is enough to keep Thunder fans paying attention even without anything concrete in place. For a player whose career has always carried momentum, noise and constant movement, the idea of an exit may not feel settled yet. [Read more 🡒]