Isaiah Hartenstein sends a message to Knicks fans on social media

From the start of the regular season until the end of the playoffs, Isaiah Hartenstein went from backup to starter for the New York Knicks. He solidified himself as a core member of the team.

Hartenstein won over any remaining members of the fan base who were unconvinced by his talent, taking over the starting job mid-season and guiding the team’s defensive efforts.

He praised the team and the blue and orange faithful in an end-of-season Instagram post.

“Year 6,” Hartenstein captioned the June 2 video. “Thank you NY for making this so special!! It’s time to get back to work #enemy.

The team’s 2023-2024 series ended in the Eastern Conference semifinals. New York lost in seven games to the Indiana Pacers.

Hartenstein finished the 2024 playoffs averaging 8.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Now he and the Knicks are heading into an offseason of uncertainty.

Hartenstein is an unrestricted free agent, and a recent report suggests he could be out of New York on his next contract.

Fischer: Hartenstein ‘could raise more than $100 million’

In a column for Yahoo! Sports insider Jake Fischer pointed out how high the ceiling for Hartenstein’s next contract is.

And how the Knicks are poorly positioned in the sweepstakes.

“The Knicks will limit themselves to offering their center a four-year, $72.5 million contract due to his early signing rights,” Fischer wrote on May 31. “Any interested rival team will have the opportunity to double that amount – up to $151.6.” million over the same four-year period.

Fischer then provided his own information from around the league on the expected numbers Hartenstein will justify this summer.

“We don’t expect him to get such a big number,” Fischer continued. “But league executives and cap strategists project that Hartenstein will be able to extract at least $80 million, and perhaps more than $100 million, from a team that hopes to steal Hartenstein from the Madison Square Garden.”

This isn’t good news for anyone hoping to see Hartenstein return next season.

An $80 million deal would be $7.5 less than New York can match, and $100 million is clearly out of the question.

Hartenstein could face a tougher decision than expected this summer in free agency. But he has publicly stated that the Knicks are where he wants to be.

Hartenstein to Scotto: “I love it here”

In an April 5 interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Hartenstein didn’t sound like someone looking to leave New York.

He also acknowledged the margin for error and what the business side of the sport could mean for his future with the Knicks.

“I’m focused on what I’m doing right now,” Hartenstein told Scotto. “I know I put myself in a great position to get a little upgrade. Right now I’m focused on the Knicks. I love being here and I hope we find a solution, but at the end of the day, business is business.

But when asked if he would stay in New York, provided they matched any offer he received, Hartenstein was emphatic in his response.

“Yes.”

That was before the playoffs, and that was before his market got ahead of free agency. Whether Hartenstein still feels the same way or not remains to be seen.

He and the Knicks can begin negotiating a new deal the day after the NBA Finals. This could be as early as June 14 or as late as June 23.

Universal conversations between teams and players will not begin until June 30.

Regardless of when that happens, rest assured that Leon Rose and the New York front office will be there with a competitive offer waiting.

The rest is up to Hartenstein himself.