Isaiah Hartenstein’s time in the Big Apple wasn’t long, but it was well spent.
The big man signed with the Knicks two years ago with the expectation that he’d be a serviceable backup behind Mitchell Robinson, but he ended up bringing so much more to the squad.
After re-signing with the Knicks on a one-year deal prior to the 2023-24 season, he ended up quickly finding himself inserted into the starting lineup when the oft-injured Robinson was forced to the sidelines again.
Hartenstein went on to put together one of the best stretches of basketball in his career, averaging 12.2 points and 12.1 rebounds while shooting a whopping 57 percent from the field in 75 appearances.
He performed so well that he priced himself out of New York’s pay range and received a big-time raise on a three-year deal with the surging Oklahoma City Thunder this offseason.
With the Thunder in town on Friday night, it marked Hartenstein’s first time back at The Garden since leaving the squad -- and the hometown crowd was sure to give him a warm welcome back…