He was kept waiting with his hand injury during the preseason and his presence came at the best of times, when Chet Holmgren had also just been injured. Isaiah Hartenstein has been back on the court for two matches, he is good and the Thunder have won both matches. For the greatest pleasure of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
For what ? Because the Canadian has been closely monitoring the interior since last season, when he played in New York…
“To be honest, I was watching the playoffs and I was aware of the contract situations,” admits the Thunder star. “So I knew he would be available. Then I saw the Knicks making all these moves in the summer without him, so I was like, 'Hmm…'”
The New York franchise had indeed maneuvered very precisely, with the new collective agreement, to bring in Mikal Bridges, but its room for maneuver was limited. Observer, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander therefore said to himself that there was something to be done with the interior. Did he intervene to defend his idea?
“I leave these stories to Sam Presti. I absolutely trust him. He read my mind so I didn't need to say it,” replies the former Clippers. “We knew, and everyone saw it, that our group needed this. Isaiah Hartenstein fills this hole. Sam Presti did a remarkable job with this. We are better because of it. »
“I am not going to change their style of play because they play in a style that I like”
This is even more true when Chet Holmgren has to stay in the infirmary for a long time and the “small ball”, even with the energy and intelligence of the group, has its limits. “He gives us rebounds and size. We found ourselves doing double takes in the post because we lacked size and we don't do that anymore.” specifies “SGA”.
The advantage of this signing – the interior arrived for three years and 87 million dollars – is that it does not upset the group. The former Knicks, as a perfect team player, enters the Thunder mold without modifying it, to offer new options, without destabilizing the whole already in place.
“I’m not coming to change anything. I'm here to make things better. I’m that style of player,” confirms the one who averages 15 points and 12 rebounds after two matches. “I try to make other people's lives easier. I'm going to get rebounds, make things easier, defend, protect the rim. I'm not going to change their style of play because they play in a style that I like anyway. »
