Rejoined! Hello, Thunder! From $179 million down to $75 million

The operations over the past ten days are as follows:

Traded Aaron Wiggins for two second-round picks;

Declined the team option on Kenrich Williams worth $7.27 million;

Selected center Mal at No. 12 and guard Stirts at No. 16 in this year's draft;

Traded Isaiah Joe for two second-round picks.

Thus, in a short time, the Thunder have dramatically reduced their total expenditure from $557 million to $341 million.

Of course, as a top championship contender, they still need to spend where necessary, not just save money.

The Thunder have declined the team option on Hartenstein's $28.5 million contract for the 2026-27 season, instead signing him to a new three-year, $75 million extension, which includes a 15% trade bonus.

It is worth noting that, according to previous reports, Hartenstein could have signed a four-year, $179 million extension with the Thunder, but ultimately he signed the three-year, $75 million deal as described.

Well, being eligible for a max contract doesn't mean you can sign one, otherwise everyone would be a max player. *Manual doge*.

In 2024, Hartenstein brought his talent to the Thunder on a three-year, $87 million contract, helping the team win its first championship in franchise history in his debut season.

Last regular season, he played 47 games (46 starts), averaging 24.2 minutes, 9.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1 steal per game, shooting 62.2% from the field. In this year's playoffs, he averaged 23.3 minutes, 9.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, shooting 63.3% from the field.

Born on May 5, 1998, standing 2.13 meters tall with a 2.19-meter wingspan, he was the 13th pick in the second round of the 2017 draft. Before wearing the Thunder jersey, he played for the Knicks, Clippers, Cavaliers, Nuggets, and Rockets, gradually evolving from a bench player to a starting center on a championship team—a true inspirational underdog story.

It is especially worth mentioning that Zhou Qi (the 13th pick in the second round of the 2016 draft), who once competed with Hartenstein for a roster spot on the Rockets, has been away from the NBA for many years. He currently plays for the Beijing Ducks in the CBA, holding a Class D max contract (up to 6 million RMB per year).