Isaiah Hartenstein is staying in OKC. The Thunder center is expected to sign a new three-year, $75 million deal with the franchise which would keep him with the club through the 2028-29 season and boost his total guaranteed earnings with OKC to five years and $134 million.
A Piece Too Important to Lose
Hartenstein has been a vital starter for the Thunder for the last two seasons helping them win the 2025 NBA championship.
Oklahoma City’s major offseason question gets answered with the choice to re-sign him, as the Thunder decided to decline his $28.5 million team option for the 2026-27 season in order to sign him to the fresh three-year deal.
Over the previous two seasons, Hartenstein has started 99 of 104 regular season games and 35 of 38 postseason games, averaging 10.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks in 26.2 minutes per game, according to ESPN
His rebounding, his screening, his interior play has been vital to the team.
What the Package Includes
The deal includes $75 million in new money over three years, a maximum 15% trade kicker and a mutual option to revise the deal again before the last season in 2028-29.
Hartenstein spent two productive seasons with the New York Knicks before signing a three-year, $87 million contract with the Thunder in July 2024.
The commitment, plus the increased money, shows how vital he remains to Sam Presti’s long-term strategy – even as the Thunder enter next season carrying an NBA-high $28.6 million over the second apron.
Not re-signing Hartenstein was never really an option for a franchise founded on continuity.
