As NBA trade deadline nears, OKC Thunder are now eligible to move Isaiah Hartenstein

Posted by author December 19, 2024 NBA

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Each year, teams are categorized as buyers or sellers for the trade deadline. By the time February rolls around, teams have a good idea of where they stand. The unofficial start of acquisition mode is Dec. 15. That’s when players who signed their new contracts in the previous offseason can be dealt.

HoopsHype listed out freshly eligible players for all 30 teams in the league. Some are more realistic than others. The Oklahoma City Thunder only had one player who officially became eligible to be traded — Isaiah Hartenstein.

Now, before pitchforks get sharpened and torches get lit, the Thunder aren’t going to trade Hartenstein. He signed a three-year, $87 million with OKC this past offseason. He’s the biggest free-agent addition in franchise history. His first two years are guaranteed and the third year is a team option. He has a $30 million salary this season.

The 26-year-old has been an important player for the Thunder. His debut was delayed by a fractured hand. When he returned, OKC desperately needed the seven-footer as Chet Holmgren was lost for two-plus months with a hip fracture.

The Thunder will enter the Feb. 6 trade deadline as buyers. Last year, they acquired Gordon Hayward. While the move made sense on paper, it didn’t work out on the court.

OKC has been one of the league’s best teams but has some holes on its roster. It could improve the margins with a bench ball-handler or some additional outside shooters. Considering its massive pile of draft assets, OKC is better off than most on potential trade packages.