The New York Knicks certainly made some waves this NBA offseason, acquiring Mikal Bridges in a blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets.
Bridges will reunite with his Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart in New York, which should certainly forge some great chemistry.
However, the Knicks could not acquire Bridges without some collateral damage.
As a result of the Bridges trade, New York was not able to have enough money to retain big man Isaiah Hartenstein, who signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency.
Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale expressed some concern about the Knicks’ loss of Hartenstein, particularly on the defensive end of the floor.
“Unlike Mitchell Robinson or [Julius] Randle, head coach Tom Thibodeau could slot Hartenstein in the middle without having to worry about him limiting the team’s dynamism at either end of the floor,” wrote Favale. “That two-way impact will be missed.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: New York Knicks Updates
Indeed.
Hartenstein boasted an incredible plus-11.0 net rating last season, and the Knicks were 2.8 points better per 100 possessions defensively with the center on the floor.
Can the New York Knicks contend for a championship without Isaiah Hartenstein?
Going into last season, not many viewed Hartenstein as a vital component to the Knicks’ success. At least not from a national perspective.
But after watching New York’s recent playoff run, everyone gained a greater appreciation of what Hartenstein brings to the table on both ends of the floor.
The 26-year-old was brilliant in the postseason, averaging 8.5 points and 7.8 rebounds over 29.8 minutes per game while shooting 59.2 percent from the field and making some critical defensive plays.
Now, the Knicks lack size up front. Robinson is still in tow, but he is very injury prone. Outside of him and Randle, New York doesn’t really have a whole lot of depth at the center and power forward positions.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: New York Knicks Updates
The addition of Bridges is obviously significant, but whether or not it will be enough to make up for the departure of Hartenstein remains to be seen.
The New York Knicks were one of only two Eastern Conference teams to win 50 games last season, with the Boston Celtics (64 wins) being the other. We’ll see if they can improve upon their success in 2024-25.
Want the latest NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
Interested in reading the latest storylines and analysis in the NFL? Check out our partner NFL Analysis Network.
