The Thunder will start without Isaiah Hartenstein after suffering a fractured left hand

Isaiah Hartenstein will have to wait to make his Oklahoma City Thunder regular-season debut.

One of the organization's newest additions sustained a small, non-displaced fracture in his left hand, the team announced Thursday. Doctors will reassess him in five to six weeks.

The 26-year-old suffered the injury in the second half of Tuesday's exhibition against the Denver Nuggets. The Thunder will be without him until at least the end of November.

Hartenstein signed a three-year, $87 million deal with the Thunder last summer (which included a team option for the final season), hoping to help a team that could use his size and defensive chops heading into the second round. Playoffs in 2024. The 7-footer established himself as one of the league's most physical rebounders and rim protectors as a member of the New York Knicks. Oklahoma City will have to wait to see how that translates to a new squad.

The Thunder used Hartenstein in a variety of roles throughout the preseason, running him alongside fellow big man Chet Holmgren to create a jumbo lineup that could intimidate any dribbler or cutter hoping to get to the basket. It wasn't just defense that made Hartenstein a valuable option. OKC used him as a facilitator on its second unit, finding creative ways to get him the basketball around the elbow and watching him slice passes to cutters and spot-up shooters in the process.

21 November, five weeks after the date of injury announcement. If Hartenstein doesn't return by then, he will miss the Thunder's first 16 regular-season games. If he doesn't return for six weeks, that would mean missing 18 regular-season games. Also, “re-evaluation” in five to six weeks doesn't mean Hartenstein is out for just five to six weeks; This means the team will then provide another update.

The Thunder have high hopes heading into this season after earning the No. 1 seed in 2023-24 as the youngest team in league history. OKC returns most of its young core and adds Hartenstein and defensive end Alex Caruso, who was traded this summer.

Hartenstein averaged 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 blocks for the Knicks last season.