Isaiah Hartenstein could command around $13 million a year in free agency

What’s allowed you to have a career year this season with the Knicks? Isaiah Hartenstein: I think I’m gaining more trust from my teammates. I feel like now it’s kind of going back to how I was playing with the Clippers. We have a lot of unselfish guys. Jalen Brunson‘s playmaking this year has not been talked about enough. How he’s been playmaking this year has made my life easier. I think that’s been big for us, especially with how much they trap him and how well he’s been making reads. -via HoopsHype / April 5, 2024

Michael Scotto: When you came into the league as a second-round pick, did you have a chip on your shoulder? Isaiah Hartenstein: Yeah. It was a frustrating time, especially going into the draft. I was projected a lot higher, and then, on draft night, I got red-flagged for something (an injury) I didn’t have. That was frustrating. I think everything happened for a reason. I think I was put in a situation that maybe at the time I didn’t really get it, but I was blessed to learn from Hall of Famers Chris Paul, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and from a big’s standpoint, I had Nenê to help me a lot and Tyson Chandler who was helping me a lot. At the time, I feel like you don’t really get what’s happening, but I think being consistent and changing my mental approach helped a lot. -via HoopsHype / April 5, 2024

Michael Scotto: What are your thoughts on free agency coming up? Isaiah Hartenstein: I’m focused on what I’m doing right now. I know I’ve put myself in a great position to get a little upgrade. Right now, I’m focused on the Knicks. I love it here, and hopefully, we’ll figure something out, but at the end of the day, business is business. Scotto: If money is equal, you’d stay? Hartenstein: Yeah. -via HoopsHype / April 5, 2024