The Oklahoma City Thunder will start next season without one of their new players. The team announced Thursday that Isaiah Hartenstein suffered a non-displaced fracture in his left hand during Tuesday’s preseason game, and will be reevaluated in 5-6 weeks.
The Thunder signed Hartenstein in early July, inking him to a three-year, $87 million contract. He was supposed to be the starting center this season, and help the Thunder fix their rebounding problems. OKC was 27th in the league in rebounding last season, and Hartenstein posted career-best numbers in that category with the New York Knicks last year, averaging 8.3 total rebounds per game.
The Thunder finished with the second-best record in the NBA last season, and didn’t have to deal with too many personnel changes along the way. According to Sportrac, OKC has lost just 61 games due to illness and injury, by far the fewest in the league. (The Indiana Pacers lost the second fewest games to illness and injury, totaling 113 last season.)
The 2024-25 season begins much differently. With their new starting center out until at least November, Jaylin Williams out with a hamstring strain, and Kenrich Williams recovering from a knee procedure, the Thunder will have to trust their depth and hope it’s up to the task.
