The New York Knicks: don't knock them until you've tried them. Isaiah Hartenstein has spent the past three seasons at the opposite ends of the NBA rotation mana

But with Hartenstein, the Knicks were limited to offering a max of four years, $72.5 million. The Thunder gave up three years, $87 million. The reason for New York’s restrictions was it originally signed Hartenstein to a two-year deal, so operated with only his partial Bird Rights. Oklahoma City signed him using straight cap space.

"You don’t really know the true ability or unselfishness of a player until you are teammates," Josh Hart said. "In LA with the Clippers, he was solid. But he got to New York and played a style and brand of basketball that Thibs loves. And then his personality – he was a great locker room guy for us. Unselfish."

It was a happy return to Manhattan for Isaiah Hartenstein, whose Oklahoma City Thunder dismantled the Knicks by a 126-101 final on Friday night at Madison Square Garden. The Western Conference-leading Thunder earned a two-game sweep of the Knicks after previously prevailing in a 117-107 home win last weekend.

Twenty-one games into his tenure with Oklahoma City, Isaiah has adapted. Still, playing at Madison Square Garden for the first time since Hartenstein signed a three-year deal, $87 million contract with the Thunder, the venue Isaiah called home for two seasons, is unique.

Isaiah Hartenstein missed the first month with a fractured hand — and now will miss at least a week with a calf strain. The Thunder are back to their small-ball era. The gap between Holmgren's injury and Hartenstein's return lasted over a week in Nov.

Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein will be reevaluated in approximately one week after suffering a left soleus strain.

Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein popped up on the injury report for Thursday’s matchup against the Cleveland Cavs after the team announced the veteran has a left calf injury. Hartenstein suffered the injury in a 118-102 win against the Philadelphia 76ers and will be out for the foreseeable future.