The Oklahoma City Thunder are in the market for a center in free agency. That search has them focused on unrestricted free agent Isaiah Hartenstein of the New York Knicks.

The Knicks have Early Bird rights for Hartenstein, which limits them to offering him a starting salary around $17 million for next season. The Thunder project to have $35 million in cap space to offer a free agent.

One source said Oklahoma City's interest in Hartenstein is "real." A suggested path could be to offer Hartenstein a larger initial salary than New York can, but on a short-term deal of two years. That would leave the Thunder with flexibility moving forward, in case the signing didn't work out.

Donovan Clingan has positioned himself to be a top prospect in the 2024 NBA Draft. Despite that status, Clingan could slip in the draft, because several teams with top picks already have centers in place.

If Clingan starts to slide, a handful of teams are positioned to try to trade up to select him. The Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz could all move up from their later-lottery picks to get in range to draft Clingan. The floor for the UConn center is considered to be the Portland Trail Blazers, who hold the seventh overall pick.

Clingan measured at 7-foot-3 with a 7-foot-7 wingspan and a 9-foot-7 standing reach at the Draft Combine. He's considered an outstanding defender, and he has nice touch on his jumper too. Many scouts envision Clingan eventually becoming an all-around offensive threat, who can also protect the rim, similar to a later-career Brook Lopez.

When the Chicago Bulls and Patrick Williams negotiated an extension this past offseason, the team offered a contract above $16 million annually.

Williams will be a restricted free agent this offseason as he comes off a season in which he was limited to 43 games due to a foot injury. 

Sources tell The Athletic that the Oklahoma City Thunder have interest in acquiring Williams. While the Thunder have enough cap space to sign Williams outright, the Bulls could match in restricted free agency, which could result in a sign-and-trade negotiation. With their depth of future draft picks, the Thunder could theoretically afford to take on Williams in a sign-and-trade at minimal cost to them.

Isaiah Hartenstein is expected to receive a contract offer between $80 million and $100 million, league executives told Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports.

The Knicks can only offer Hartenstein a four-year, $72.5 million deal due to early Bird rights.

The Thunder are reportedly interested in Hartenstein.

Nic Claxton is also expected to receive a similar deal as Hartenstein. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder have emerged as the team rival executives believe could be the most likely team to sign Isaiah Hartenstein away from the New York Knicks.

Hartenstein doesn't have the type of ability off the dribble and perimeter shooting that the Thunder have valued, but he is good as a dribble-handoff screener and as a passer. Hartenstein can play alongside other bigs and he also would help the Thunder tremendously as a rebounder.

Hartenstein nearly signed with the Orlando Magic before joining the Knicks, but that no longer is an obvious fit despite their cap space.

The Detroit Pistons have also been previously linked to Hartenstein. 

Sam Presti admitted that he "missed" on the Gordon Hayward midseason acquisition at his end-of-the-season news conference on Tuesday.

"I missed on that. That's on me. But I'm learning, I'm trying to learn this team, I'm trying to learn the pace of the team a little bit," said Presti.

Hayward averaged 5.3 points in 17.2 minutes during his time with the Thunder.

Hayward described his time with the Thunder as 'disappointing' last week. 

"I don't think I read that one perfect, and I'm learning from that in terms of bringing somebody midseason and especially early on in the process for our team," added Presti.

The NBA has closed its investigation into Josh Giddey amid allegations he had an inappropriate relationship with an underage girl.

Newport Beach (Calif.) police announced in January that it had been "unable to corroborate any criminal activity" by Giddey and would not pursue charges.

The NBA came to a similar conclusion and closed its investigation.

In a since-deleted post, an anonymous social media user said a girl who is seen with Giddey in videos and photographs was a high school junior at the time. The social media account was deactivated since making the post.

Giddey has declined to comment about the allegations. 

Gordon Hayward's season didn't end the way he wanted. Hayward struggled to find his place with the Oklahoma City Thunder after a trade deadline deal from the Charlotte Hornets. Hayward owned those struggles in his final meeting with the media for this season, following the Thunder's second-round loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

"Disappointing with how it all kind of worked out. Certainly frustrating," Hayward said about his time with the Thunder.

The veteran wing said he thought his lack of production with Oklahoma City was mostly about his place within the rotation and the team's schemes.

"That’s credit to kinda the role I was placed in and lack of touches," Hayward said when asked about his lack of field goal attempts with Oklahoma City.

Hayward is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Thunder can create over $30 million in cap space this offseason, while having relatively few roster spots to fill for next season.

Host Danny Leroux and Dan Feldman of Dunc’d On Prime break down the NBA playoffs then Derek Bodner of PHLY comes on to discuss the 76ers.

Leroux and Feldman discuss the just-ended Mavericks/Thunder series, where the Thunder go from here, what lessons teams can learn from the 2023 offseason and much more while Bodner and Leroux go in-depth on how this 76ers season went for the key figures, Joel Embiid’s present and future and their offseason possibilities.

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Host Danny Leroux talks with Kevin Pelton of ESPN (@kpelton.bsky.social) about the NBA playoffs.

They break down each of the four second-round series in terms of the key matchups, swing factors and much more plus other NBA discussion.

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