Isaiah Hartenstein knows exactly how quickly the NBA can turn.
Oklahoma City spent the summer making hard choices, and one of the biggest involved Lu Dort. The Thunder had to sort through a roster that was always headed for change, but by the end of their playoff run, a lot of the decision-making had already come into focus. Hartenstein emerged as the priority, while Cason Wallace was ready to step into Dort’s starting role and the responsibilities that came with it.
That led OKC to lock up Hartenstein on a three-year, $75 million deal, keeping him off the market before free agency even became a real possibility. Dort’s team option was picked up, only for him to be traded to the Atlanta Hawks a couple of weeks later.
Speaking to German media outlet “Basket-World News,” Hartenstein addressed Dort’s exit and the business side of the Thunder’s offseason.
"There's always a human element involved. You probably spend more time with your teammates than with your own family over the course of the season.
So you do grow very close," Hartenstein said. "But at the end of the day, we all know it's a business.
I think Sam Presti at least put him in a good position. There are a lot of general managers who just send players off to some other team where they have no chance of winning or performing well.
So at least I know he's in a good position and can play."
Hartenstein also pointed to how little is guaranteed in the league.
"We all know it's a business and you never know what's going to happen," Hartenstein said. "If Luka gets traded, then you can get traded too."
Dort’s departure had been building for a while. By the end of the postseason, his place in Oklahoma City looked shaky, especially after he slipped across the board and his outside shot and one-on-one defense weren’t as sharp. With younger and more effective players waiting for bigger roles, moving on from him was the cleanest way for the Thunder to open up more chances elsewhere.
For Hartenstein, that kind of roster churn isn’t some abstract idea. He’s lived it. He came into the league as a journeyman, bouncing around just to keep his NBA career going, so he understands how unforgiving the business can be.
The Thunder now head toward the 2026-27 season as a co-title favorite with the San Antonio Spurs. But the upcoming regular season should still feel different.
The supporting cast has changed, and that matters. Hartenstein has already been a huge pickup for Oklahoma City over his first two seasons, and now his importance has only grown.
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