On a day when most of the NBA is focused on the Trade Deadline, the Thunder could make a bigger addition than anyone by adding a 7-foot Defensive Player of the Year who can stretch the floor from 3.
Oklahoma City is 40-9 and has yet to play their two best centers in the same game, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. That changes Friday night — Holmgren is off the Thunder injury report and is expected to suit up when the Toronto Raptors come to Oklahoma City. Shams Charania of ESPN was the first to note this.
Oklahoma City was 8-1 in their first nine games with Holmgren — without Hartenstein, who had a fractured hand — before an awkward fall injured Holmgren’s hip and had him sidelined for the next 39 games. Holmgren averaged 16.4 points and 8.7 rebounds a game for the Thunder before his injury, shooting 37.8% from beyond the arc.
Hartenstein thinks that the two bigs can mesh together.
“We did it in the preseason, so I think it’s good,” Hartenstein told NBC Sports back during the NBA Cup in December. “I feel like he’s so skilled that we can play together. He can play the four, I can play the five. We can switch. I mean, yeah, I’m big, but I still play a different way, like I’m not too close to the bucket, still moving the ball. I’m still being able to be up in coverage, like it’s type of style, so i think it will be good.”
If it is as good as expected, it could only improve what is already the best defense in the NBA this season. Holmgren is a strong rim protector while Hartenstein brings a physicality that the Thunder lacked a year ago.
