When healthy, center Isaiah Hartenstein has played well for the Cavaliers, and it may have earned him a larger paycheck, per Zach Lowe of ESPN.
Hartenstein, 22, is 7-foot-0 and has appeared in 16 games with the Cavs after a trade with the Nuggets. In Cleveland, he has compiled career-high averages of 8.3 points and 4.4 rebounds while serving as the primary backup to Jarrett Allen.
He has a player option for the veteran’s minimum on his contract, and Lowe wrote he wouldn’t be surprised to see Hartenstein opt out in search of more money — either from the Cavs or elsewhere.
Hartenstein suffered a concussion earlier this week against the Wizards, and his return this season is highly in doubt. He missed five games in late April and early May, also because of a concussion.
While Hartenstein’s rise has been a very limited sample size for a bad team, there’s a sense that he could test free agency this summer, anyway. If nothing else, he could possibly land a few more bucks and longer deal with the Cavs, or even head overseas for a larger contract.
Either way, Lowe is right. The idea of Hartenstein staying the course with his current deal seems unlikely.
