Gambling on Himself, ‘Skilled’ Big Man Finds a Home With Clippers – Heavy.com

GettyIsaiah Hartenstein, new Clippers center

In late July, a couple of months after finishing his third NBA season, 7-foot center Isaiah Hartenstein faced a not too uncommon conundrum: Should he exercise his player option with the Cleveland Cavaliers and thereby guarantee himself $1.8 million for the 2021-22 season, or decline the option and take his chances on the open market.

The Cavs had acquired Hartenstein from Denver for JaVale McGee at last seasons trade deadline, and though Hartenstein played well in his 16 games as a Cavalier8.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks in 17.9 minutesthe 23-year-old understood that he was not exactly a top priority for Cleveland heading into the new season. The Cavs were in negotiations with Jarret Allen on a new, long-term contract (Allen eventually signed for 5-years, $120 million) and the team was widely expected to select USC center Evan Mobley with the third pick in the upcoming draft (which they did).

In search of a bigger role, Hartenstein declined his option on July 23 and ultimately landed in L.A. on a training camp deal with the Clippers. He would be competing for L.A.s final roster spot primarily against the talented but injury-prone Harry Giles, once the nations top high school recruit. It was a winner-take-all scenario, and it put Hartenstein in the position of having to win a spot or else contemplate alternatives, one of which was likely returning to Europe where he and his family had lived since Isaiah was 10.

Hartensteins decision, it turns out, was a good one.

On Saturday, the Clippers announced that Hartenstein had won the 15th and final roster spot over Giles (who was waived the same day) and is now primed to see a fair amount of regular-season action as the backup to Clippers centers Ivica Zubac and Serge Ibaka, the latter of whom is still recovering from June back surgery.

It seems Hartenstein had entered training camp already with a leg up on Giles. During informal pickup games a few weeks before camp, Hartenstein, who Houston selected in the second round of the 2017 draft, had so impressed Paul George and Luke Kennard with his passing that they each felt compelled to call head coach Ty Lue to heap praise.

PG called raving about his passing and then Luke Kennard called talking about how he can pass, revealed Ty Lue on Saturday. Lue has stated that this season he would like to run more of the offense through big men on the perimeter, something that requires solid decision-making and the ability to find the open man. Hartenstein told Lue that, in addition to learning from his father, a former European player, he had honed his passing game while in Denver as the understudy, for 30 games, to MVP center Nikola Jokic, widely considered the best passing big man in the league.

One lesson, in particular, stuck out to Hartenstein. I think before, you would look at, a lot, the offensive player, Hartenstein said, per The L.A. Times. But Jokic told me a lot more just to look where the defense is looking. I think thats how some of the backdoor passesit looks like the dude is not open, but like Im really looking at the defense, and if hes not looking at me, theres no chance of him even getting the ball, because you cant see the ball coming. So I think just stuff like that helped me a lot.

Poetically, the Clippers faced the Nuggets in their preseason opener, and though Denver opted to sit Jokic, his fingerprints on Hartensteins game were readily apparent. In the first quarter, Hartenstein found Terance Mann on a give-and-go layup, and in the third, he gifted Kennard an easy bucket on a pinpoint backdoor dime. After the game, Nuggets head coach Mike Malone praised Hartenstein and said that he is a lot more skilled than people think.

Hartenstein would continue to show that skill in the following three preseason games, finishing the four-game stint averaging 3.5 assists in just 13.3 minutes. But Gilesan above-average passer himselfwas no slouch in the preseason either, and on Saturday Lue admitted that the decision was far from easy. Per ClipperNation, Lue said:

Harry did a lot of great things and, you know, hes definitely an NBA player, I mean, we know that for sure. And we thought Isaiah did a good job as well, you know, so it was a tough decision. Hate to see Harry go because he did some great things for us, like I said, and hes more advanced than some of our young guys, but it just, its tough when you got to come down to the situation when you got to make cuts and, you know, like I said, hes an NBA player for sure.

But happy for Isaiah as well. He did a good job, he played well, kind of came in and fit in right away with his passing and being able to get guys shots and backdoor cuts for layups and things like that, so they both played well, it was a tough decision.

If Hartenstein finds success with the Clippers this season, some credit will certainly be due to the coaching style of Lue and the Clippers organization in general. Hartenstein didnt just leave Cleveland because of the depth charthe was looking for a home where he could be free to do his thing without constantly worrying about making mistakes, a circumstance he believes hes found with the Clippers.

I came out here for a little bit before I made my decision and it was great, Hartenstein said Saturday. The organization, top to bottom, the way they played, T-Lue just letting the guys play free. I think that was one of the biggest things for me, was just finding someone that also lets me play my game. I think with Denver and the Rockets I was really looking over my shoulder every game, and its hard to play like that, and so now being in a situation where I can just play my game and do whatever the team needs to win.

Lue, who was a role player for seven different teams over 11 NBA seasons, knows where Hartenstein is coming from.

You want guys to be able to play free, its hard to play on eggshells, said Lue, who recently tied for the second most votes from general managers around the league when asked which coach is the best manager/motivator of people. Unfortunately in my career, Ive had a couple stints where I had to play like that as well and thats not easy to do because youre not being yourself.

With our players, Lue continued, its OK to make mistakes, but the biggest thing is if youre playing the right way, if youre playing hard and competing, were not worried about the turnovers or missed shots. We dont want careless turnovers, but if youre trying to make the right play for your teammate and it doesnt go right, you aint gotta look over your shoulder and wonder if youre coming out.

Of course, Hartenstein may have a little more pressure on him when Ibaka finally returns, but until then he intends to stake a claim for minutes even after all the Clippers big men are back.

Ive always been confident in my abilities, Hartenstein said. I think Im a good center in the NBA, and that was one reason why I didnt want to stay in Cleveland even though they treated me really well out there. I just wanted to be in a situation where I could play and really have a chance to prove myself.

The Clippers open their season on October 21 in a nationally televised game against the Golden State Warriors.

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Gambling on Himself, 'Skilled' Big Man Finds a Home With Clippers - Heavy.com