A year ago, Bruce Brown played a key role off the bench in Denver’s title run and became a fan favorite. However, when he hit free agency, the Nuggets could only offer him a starting salary of $7.8 million this season due to the terms of the CBA. The Indiana Pacers came in with a two-year offer worth $45 million, and it wasn’t much of a choice for Brown.
The Knicks will likely lose Isaiah Hartenstein this summer for the same reason.
The center, who played brilliantly for the Knicks when Mitchell Robinson went down in the playoffs, is about to hit free agency. New York only has his Early Bird rights, meaning the most they can offer him is four years, $72.5 million. However, the market for Hartenstein starts at $80 million and goes up. reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
Any interested rival team has the opportunity to double down [New York’s max offer] – a whopping $151.6 million over the same four-year period. There is little expectation that he will attract such a significant number, but league executives and cap strategists predict that Hartenstein could fetch at least $80 million, and perhaps more than $100 million, from a team hoping to steal Hartenstein from Madison Square Garden . ..
For a team looking for an upgrade at center, the market isn’t exactly level with strong starting options. Nic Claxton will likely get a dollar amount similar to Hartenstein’s expected range, sources said, though NBA personnel have long prepared for the Nets’ interchangeable center to remain with Brooklyn… Cavaliers All-Star center Jarrett Allen has two years and $40 million left on his deal, and that will leave no shortage of suitors for Cleveland’s big man… However, Cleveland isn’t exactly interested in receiving offers from rival teams for Allen , sources said, as the shot-blocker and rim-runner developed a strong on-court bond with Donovan Mitchell during a stretch in which he won 17 of 18 games this winter.
It’s not a strong free-agent center class, and teams looking to upgrade will have Hartenstein at the top of their list. Two years ago, Hartenstein publicly said he would take a discount to stay with the Clippers (who opted to spend their money on John Wall at the insistence of their stars) and that opened the door for the Knicks. Hartenstein likes New York and may get a small cut to stay, but if another team brings in $90 million or more, this is a case and he’ll have to pick up the bag.
This will leave the Knicks looking for depth at one more position.
