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Isaiah Hartenstein reveals how agonizing the decision was to leave Knicks
Hartenstein解釋他為何離開尼克
By Stefan Bondy, New York Post
LAS VEGAS — If the big offer came from a team other than the Thunder, Isaiah Ha
rtenstein would have re-signed with the Knicks at a discount, the center told Th
e Post.
寫於拉斯維加斯——Isaiah Hartenstein 告訴《紐約郵報》，如果不是雷霆隊給出這麼大
的報價，他會以折扣價格重新與尼克隊簽約。
But the combination of a three-year, $87 million deal — with $58.5 million of i
t guaranteed in the first two years — and a chance for a championship was too d
ifficult to turn down.
然而，三年8700萬美元的合約，其中前兩年保證5850萬美元，加上爭冠的機會，實在難以拒
絕。
“I was going to make sure I was set for the rest of my life,” Hartenstein said
. “But then at the same time, if it wasn’t a team like OKC, I would’ve taken
a pay cut because I loved it [in New York]. But I now have an opportunity to mak
e that money, make that pay raise, and still compete. I think that was the main
factor.”
Hartenstein 說：「我會確保自己下半輩子無憂無慮。但同時，如果不是像 OKC 這樣的球
隊，我會接受降薪，因為我喜歡紐約。但我現在有機會賺更多錢，並且仍然能贏球。我認為
這是主要因素。」
The Knicks, as Hartenstein confirmed in the interview Monday with The Post, made
the biggest offer they could given their cap restrictions — four years, $72.5
million — which is about $11 million less annually than the Thunder contract.
Hartenstein 在週一的採訪中確認，尼克在薪資帽限制下給了他能給的最大報價——四年72
50萬美元，這比雷霆的合約每年少了約1100萬美元。
Jalen Brunson participated in the pitch to retain Hartenstein.
Jalen Brunson 參與了挽留 Hartenstein 。
“They said whatever we can give you, we’re going to give you,” Hartenstein sa
id. “I talked to Jalen a couple times, Jalen and the guys. They really wanted m
e back and I really appreciate that. But it was definitely a hard decision. I co
uldn’t say no to an opportunity like this.”
Hartenstein 說：「他們說，無論我們能給你什麼，我們都會給你。我和 Jalen以及其他隊
友談了幾次。他們真的很想我回來，我非常感激。但這確實是一個艱難的決定。我無法拒絕
這樣的機會。」
A couple weeks after Hartenstein’s departure in free agency, Brunson agreed to
an extension at a hefty discount — a four-year, $156.5 million deal that could
’ve been about $113 million more over five years if he waited until free agency
next summer.
Hartenstein 離開後幾週，Brunson 以大幅折扣續約——四年1.5億美元，如果他等到明年
夏天成為自由球員，這個數字可能會多出約1.13億美元。
Hartenstein, a journeyman through most of his six pro seasons with $22.65 millio
n in career earnings, explained why he wasn’t in the same position to make a sa
crifice like Brunson.
經歷了六個職業賽季的，Hartenstein 共賺得2265萬美元，也解釋了為什麼他不沒法 Bruns
on 那樣能做出犧牲。
“He’s kind of in a different situation than I’m in. Already made $100 million
[in his career]. He’s the star player, knows he probably won’t ever get trade
d. So it’s a different situation,” Hartenstein said. “But that also shows wha
t kind of a leader he is to make those sacrifices. I don’t think a lot of peopl
e are making those sacrifices. I think our situations are a little bit different
but I have a lot of respect for him as a player and a human being for doing tha
t.”
Hartenstein 說：「他的處境與我不同。他已經賺了1億美元。他是明星球員，知道自己可
能永遠不會被交易。但這也顯示了他做出這些犧牲的領導力。我認為很多人都沒辦法做出這
些犧牲。我和他的情況有點不同，但我非常尊重他，無論是作為球員還是做人。」
Hartenstein became a pivotal part of the Knicks’ success while developing into
one of their top analytical performers.
Hartenstein 成為尼克本季成功的關鍵一員，把握機會成為球隊頂尖的數據表現者之一。
He started 49 games after Mitchell Robinson’s injury and boasted the team’s be
st net-rating at +10, earning more playmaking freedom from Tom Thibodeau.
在 Mitchell Robinson 受傷後，他首發了49場比賽，擁有球隊最佳的正負值+10，獲得了 T
om Thibodeau 信任也得到更多的發揮空間。
Looking back on his two seasons in New York, Hartenstein said his favorite momen
t was grabbing the offensive rebound that led to Donte DiVincenzo’s dramatic go
-ahead trey in Game 2 of the first round against the Sixers.
The reaction from the Garden crowd was explosive.
回顧在紐約的兩個賽季，Hartenstein 說他最喜歡的時刻是搶到進攻籃板，助攻 Donte DiV
incenzo 在對陣76人隊的首輪比賽中投中關鍵三分球。
麥迪遜廣場花園的觀眾反應熱烈。
“That was something special,” Hartenstein said.
「那真是特別的時刻，」Hartenstein 說。
The Knicks still haven’t replaced Hartenstein, who was arguably their second-be
st player in the playoffs after Brunson.
尼克至今還沒有找到 Hartenstein 的替代者，他是季後賽中僅次於 Brunson 的第二佳球員
。
Assuming the oft-injured Robinson starts again at center, the current backup is
Jericho Sims.
假設經常受傷的 Robinson 再次擔任先發中鋒，現任會替補是 Jericho Sims。
It’s the biggest position concern for the Knicks as they open their full-blown
win-now window.
這是尼克在下季全力衝冠時最大的擔憂。
Hartenstein also enters the unknown as the center for a team that was establishe
d and stacked before his arrival.
Hartenstein 也脫離了舒適圈，成為一支在他到來之前就已茁壯並且實力強勁的球隊的中鋒
。
His chemistry and connection to last season’s Thunder center, Chet Holmgren, is
of paramount importance toward the team’s championship goals after they earned
the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference last season.
他與上賽季雷霆隊中鋒 Chet Holmgren 的化學反應和合作對於球隊的總冠軍目標至關重要
，因為他們在上賽季獲得了西部聯盟的頭號種子。
In New York, Hartenstein was well-liked and social in the locker room, developin
g into a defensive leader and the team’s top paint presence.
在紐約，Hartenstein 在更衣室內深受喜愛，成為防守領袖和球隊的主要禁區支柱。
It was a situation almost too good to leave. Almost.
這幾乎難以讓人選擇離開。幾乎。
“It was hard. For me, if it wasn’t a situation like Oklahoma City with a chanc
e to win, I don’t think I would’ve left. But that money is — you have to thin
k about it, I just had a child so. … But it was really hard,” said Hartenstein
, who became a first-time father last month.
「這很難。對我來說，如果不是像OKC這樣有機會奪冠的情況，我不認為我會離開。但那筆
錢——你必須考慮，我剛剛有了一個孩子……但這真的很難，」上個月剛成為新手爸爸的 H
artenstein 說。
“I love New York. I love the front office, I loved my team. So it was definitel
y hard. If it wasn’t a situation where I felt like I really had a chance to win
, I probably wouldn’t have left.”
「我愛紐約。我愛紐約的管理層，我愛我的隊友。所以這確實很難。如果不是我覺得我真的
有機會奪冠的情況，我可能不會離開。」
心得：
有錢拿又有冠軍相 ，真的心動