Oklahoma City’s hopes for another deep run may start with something simple: keeping Isaiah Hartenstein on the floor.
The Thunder are officially back in motion with media day on Monday, and the 2026-27 season is beginning to take shape. After coming within a game of another NBA Finals trip last season, Oklahoma City enters this year with its eyes on another push toward the Larry O’Brien in 2027.
One of the biggest moves of the offseason was not a departure, but a return. Hartenstein signed a three-year deal to remain with the Thunder after establishing himself as an important piece over the last two seasons. That matters even more now, with the big-man group set to change as Thomas Sorber and Aday Mara join the mix.
What Oklahoma City really needs, though, is a healthier version of Hartenstein than the one it had last season. His first year in the city was mostly clean after he worked back from a preseason hand injury, but the following year was a different story. Calf strains kept popping up during the Thunder’s title defense, knocking him out off and on and creating problems in the middle of the season.
Those absences forced Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams to shoulder more of the load at center, and the ripple effect showed up in Oklahoma City’s rhythm as the year wore on. Hartenstein played just 47 games, and while the Thunder are better positioned to absorb that kind of absence now, they would still prefer not to go there.
When Hartenstein is available, he gives Oklahoma City a double-double threat every time he steps on the court. That kind of presence matters over the course of a long regular season, especially with the roster changes the Thunder have already made and the Spurs still expected to be right there with them near the top of the standings. More continuity in the paint could be a real separator in the race for home-court advantage.
There is also a bright spot for Oklahoma City: Hartenstein has been available in every playoff game since arriving, even with the regular-season injury issues. The Thunder do not need to run him into the ground or chase an 82-game season from him. But if he can get closer to the 65- or 70-game range, that would be a major boost.
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This preseason, though, tighter margins could make those minutes harder to find for second-round pick Otega Oweh. If the Thunder are playing more competitive games and shrinking the floor for developmental reps, his path could get complicated quickly, especially with the team weighing how best to handle his roster status and long-term growth. [Read more 🡒]