2-1 in preseason so far and fresh off of a win over Western Conference rivals the Denver Nuggets, there’s a lot to be optimistic about the OKC Thunder. With Isaiah Hartenstein on the roster, Mark Daigneault had some unique plans. But there’s bad news, and it’s about Hartenstein. Looks like Daigneault will have to postpone those plans a bit. With the season opener just a week away, the latest update on the Center cuts down the level of optimism by a significant margin.

ESPN’s Shams Charania posted on social media, “Thunder say Isaiah Hartenstein suffered a small, non-displaced fracture in his left hand in Tuesday’s preseason game in Denver and will be re-evaluated in five-to-six weeks.” Instead of bringing happiness to the Thunder hood, now it seems like the victory cost them greatly.

The Thunder had just signed Hartenstein in the offseason to strengthen their frontcourt. But before they could test the line-ups in what could have been an action-packed season, he took an unforeseen break. However, prior to being sidelined for approximately six weeks, Hartenstein showed that he could be an asset to the team. In their first preseason matchup against the Spurs, the 7-footer might have only fetched 4 points, but he compensated that with his 8 rebounds and 7 assists. In the following game, he proved once again that his numbers were not a one-time thing.

Against the Rockets, Hartenstein recorded 6 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists stat line in 15 minutes. The Thunder couldn’t snatch the win but the German was a treat to watch. Even in the last game against the Nuggets, the 26-year-old dropped an 11-point performance coupled with 3 rebounds and assists each.

Impressed with his brilliance at both ends of the court, the franchise was convinced that they could put both Chet Holmgren and Hartenstein in the starting lineup of the upcoming regular season. However, they now have to re-strategize as they lack too many options for the position. Despite the blow, there is optimism as an NBA Insider feels there is hope for the Thunder.

NBA Insider dismisses OKC crisis without Isaiah Hartenstein

The OKC Thunder has limited alternatives when it comes to the depth line. Keeping aside Holmgren, their other choices were Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams, who are also on the injury list. With Isaiah Hartenstein ruled out, the fans can hope to witness Ousmane Dieng receiving some extra minutes on the hardwood. Amid the worrisome situation, Keith Smith put forward his insight on the matter.

“The Thunder won’t fall apart without Isaiah Hartenstein or anything,” the Insider stated on his X post. “But they will miss him while he’s out. Hartenstein is slated to be a big part of a lot of different lineup looks for OKC.” He mentioned Williams’ absence leaves them with hardly any option.

However, Smith added, “Thunder do have an open roster spot they could fill. OKC is about $11.5M under the luxury tax at the moment.” Well, whether the franchise would opt for trade to add depth is not known yet, but it appears like a possible option till the time their injury report improves.