Trade & FA 2023-24: Sexton On the Market? | ORL Likes Hartenstein?

[KillerLeft]

OKC is desperate for a big man with hustle, and energy. Hartenstien is that in spades. 

They have to spend their money somewhere.

I agree that they should take a hard look at someone like Hartenstein. 

The problem with that, however, and the reason that they didn’t pull the trigger on a big at the deadline (I think), is that in THEIR STYLE, Holmgren just isn’t a 4. I know many casual fans (not you) see a guy like Chet and immediately say “him skinny, him not center, him four” as they drool on their remotes, but a move in that direction would essentially turn them into the Timberwolves, and we just saw how that works. 

Now, part of WHY it hasn’t worked (yet) in Minnesota is that Gobert just doesn’t make an impact on the offensive side, whereas Hartenstein would, but…I honestly felt like Holmgren intimidated the Mavs in the paint on defense MORE than Gobert did in this series. I don’t think rim protection is the Thunder’s problem, like at all. I think they need a BACKUP center OPTION that isn’t Jalen Williams, for sure. I think you could make an argument that HE’s a 4, but even then, he’ll still need some time at center so they can run and play 5-out.

So, to me, it’s a hard target to hit. A guy who can play as a traditional big for extended minutes, but doesn’t expect the starting job to be gifted to him upon arrival. Ironically, I think Gafford might’ve been a better fit for them than the Mavericks. but, most of the names we know aren’t going to want to play third big minutes. After the year he just had, I would put Hartenstein on that list of people I would expect to be less than thrilled to go experiment in OKC.