Reported Hartenstein deal would keep Thunder core intact

Isaiah Hartenstein is expected to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder on a reported three-year, $75 million contract through the 2028-29 season. The deal has not yet been announced by the team, so the details remain sourced reporting rather than official confirmation.

According to ESPN, the agreement includes a maximum 15% trade kicker and a mutual option that could let both sides revisit the structure in 2028 before the final season. If completed as reported, Hartenstein’s guaranteed Thunder earnings would reach $134 million across five years.

The move would continue Oklahoma City’s commitment to a center who became an important interior presence after joining as a free agent in 2024. Across his first two Thunder seasons, he averaged 10.3 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists while mainly working as the starting center.

Availability is part of the larger discussion: regular-season injuries limited him to 104 games over those two years, including a left thumb issue and a right calf strain. In the playoffs, however, he appeared in all 38 Thunder games over the same span, starting 35 and averaging 9.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists.