Grading OKC Thunder New Deal With Isaiah Hartenstein

The Oklahoma City Thunder entered the 2026 NBA Offseason with burning questions around this championship-level roster. From the 2026 NBA Draft, to contract options on Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort and Kenrich Williams and cost-saving moves to dodge the second apron while keeping a core that is primed to compete for a championship intact, this was always going to be a busy summer.

Two days before Free Agency opens, the OKC Thunder have already made a ton of headway on their moves for next year's roster. The Thunder have selected three prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft: Aday Mara (No. 12), Bennet Stirtz (No. 16) and Otega Oweh (No. 41), while trading Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe to slice their luxury tax bill by moving on from two non-playoff players for the Bricktown Ballers.

They have until Monday evening to make decisions on Hartenstein, Dort, and Williams, with the latter two players' team options and future uncertain. Hartenstein has already reportedly agreed to a new three-year pact that keeps him in Bricktown through the 2028-29 campaign.

This new deal pays Hartenstein $25 million annually with a mutual option in the third year. While a mutual option doesn't truly exist in this CBA, it is speculated that this is a player option with non-guaranteed money if Hartenstein opts in for the team to decide on. This deal also includes the maximum 15% trade kicker to elevate the big man's salary if he is traded. It is important to note that players can waive their trade kickers to help deals get done if they choose.

Oklahoma City's biggest offseason goal was to bring back the veteran big men. One of the best centers in the entire NBA. They have done so while getting him at a cheaper number that is extremely team-friendly and incredibly movable if the Thunder eventually need to make room for rookies Mara and Sorber to have larger front-court roles at cheaper dollar amounts. If that ended up being the case, Hartenstein would still be taken care of by his trade kicker to get paid back the money left on the table to sacrifice for this title team.

It is a win-win contract for both parties and Hartenstein, who has been pivotal on and off the court in Oklahoma City, giving back to the community with his foundation and helping the team capture its first NBA Championship in franchise history.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could not have rolled into a season that will be labeled title-or-bust with a front-court rotation that lacked Hartenstein. At that point, they would be leaning on a pair of rookie big men, an undersized five in Jaylin Williams and Chet Holmgren, to shoulder the load in such an important season. The Thunder avoided that outcome by keeping Hartenstein.

The seven-footer is also the Thunder's best rebounder, screen setter and playmaker. His passing chops are second to none on this roster, getting his teammates clean looks with his Dribble hand-offs, off-ball screens and wipe-away on ball screens that give separation to his drive-heavy guards to get downhill. On top of the added rim protection he provides. Fresh off a Western Conference Finals series that saw him match up best with Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama on that end of the floor.

Hartenstein is too valuable to let walk out the door this summer. This deal gives Oklahoma City flexibility to either keep the big man all three years while also remaining movable if they need to trade him next summer or the following offseason. Most importantly, it allows the Thunder to be one of, if not the biggest, title favorites in the 2026

Grade: A+

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