Should Knicks try to keep Isaiah Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson together long-term?

The center position has been a strength for the Knicks roster the past two seasons. With the two-headed monster of Isaiah Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson, New York knows it can receive a full 48 minutes of rim protection, solid screening and offensive rebounding. It’s important that the Knicks keep the two players together, but there are some roadblocks.

Hartenstein’s unrestricted free agency is one of New York’s central offseason storylines. The team has early bird rights on Hartenstein, meaning they can bring him back at a salary that is 175 percent of his previous annual figure or 120 percent of the league average salary. The max starting salary for the first year of his contract cannot exceed the $16-$17 million range.

With his unique skill set on both ends of the floor, Hartenstein is sure to garner interest from teams with available cap space. The Oklahoma City Thunder were mauled on the glass by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round and finished 28th in the category this season. Hartenstein could make sense as a physical big to add some versatility to their portable lineup. Other teams with cap space like the Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs or Detroit Pistons could also have interest if they strike out on other free agents. Still, it’s not a guarantee Hartenstein will receive an astounding offer.

If the Knicks are able to re-sign Hartenstein, a contract in the high teens for him creates an interesting salary dynamic for New York. Robinson is set to earn $14.3 million in the third year of the four-year deal he signed in 2022. That means the Knicks would be paying upwards of $30 million for two centers. It’s a lot to commit to two players that don’t share any time on the floor together. Hartenstein and Robinson are similar in the sense that they are non-shooters who work primarily in the paint as offensive rebounders. But they both bring unique qualities to the table.

One of Hartenstein’s standout skills is tied to point guard Jalen Brunson. As the Knicks’ All-Star ran roughshod over the entire NBA, one of the strategies opposing defenses trotted out was doubling and trapping him out of the pick-and-roll. Hartenstein’s ability to make plays out of the short roll proved crucial. He was able to pass off the bounce and find open shooters and cutters on a regular basis.

It’s the reason he averaged 6.3 assists per 100 possessions in the playoffs this year. That was the third-highest mark among centers, per NBA Stats. The only two big men ahead of Hartenstein were the two most recent MVPs in the NBA, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid. Hartenstein also developed a floater that was effective. Teams will continue to double Brunson to get the ball out of his hands, making Hartenstein’s role as an offensive release valve essential.

Robinson is arguably the best offensive rebounder in the NBA at the moment and his 7-foot-4 wingspan makes him one of the most disruptive rim protectors and paint defenders in the NBA. He did a masterful job defending Embiid in the first round. But he’s also missed a significant amount of time due to injury throughout his career including this past season.

With forward OG Anunoby also hitting free agency, and looming potential contract extensions for Brunson and Julius Randle, this Knicks team could become expensive. That will eventually make it a tougher decision to have two centers making eight figures annually down the road.

Having as many centers as possible seems to be in vogue in the NBA. This year’s NBA Finals is full of centers. The Mavericks have the duo of Daniel Gafford and rookie Dereck Lively II. The Boston Celtics feature Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford. The Minnesota Timberwolves made the Western Conference Finals with centers Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid all playing heavy minutes.

It would be ideal if the Knicks can keep both Hartenstein and Robinson on the roster. They fit head coach Tom Thibodeau’s style and their qualities complement each other’s weaknesses. Both players play within their role and set the tone for two of New York’s strengths, offensive rebounding and defense. But as this team gets more expensive it will become a much more difficult decision.