Thunder Decline Option, Reach Three-Year, $75MM Agreement With Isaiah Hartenstein
SLUG: thunder-hartenstein-three-year-75m-deal
The Oklahoma City Thunder will bypass Isaiah Hartenstein’s $28.5 million team option for the 2026/27 season and instead sign the center to a new three-year, $75 million contract, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Charania reported that the deal features a 15 percent trade kicker and a mutual option for the third year, giving both sides flexibility to revisit the agreement during the 2028 offseason.
Hartenstein, 28, originally joined Oklahoma City in 2024 on a three-year, $87 million contract that also carried a team option for the final season. Since arriving, he has started 99 of 104 regular-season games and 35 of 38 playoff contests, averaging 10.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks in 26.2 minutes.
The 7-footer has frequently shared frontcourt duties with Chet Holmgren, giving the Thunder a dual-big alignment that has become a key piece of head coach Mark Daigneault’s rotation.
Oklahoma City faces a tight salary cap this summer and has already reached agreements to move Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins without taking back salary. Team decisions remain on Luguentz Dort’s $17.7 million option and Kenrich Williams’ $7.2 million option. Lowering Hartenstein’s 2026/27 cap number by restructuring his deal is expected to help the Thunder stay below the league’s second tax apron.
Details on how the mutual option will be structured have not been finalized. Charania noted the contract would lock in $134 million in total guaranteed earnings for Hartenstein with the Thunder, including the $58.5 million he has already collected over the past two seasons.
Source: Hoops Rumors
