Hartenstein has what I would consider to be one of the higher upsides among big men in this year’s class. At 7-feet, the German lefty has flashed immense potential as a shooter from deep, while handling the ball extremely well for his size and displaying court vision that doesn’t often bundle itself with a strong-framed big man. All the tools — and skills — are in place for Hartenstein to become a bona fide steal at some point in the middle of the first round, it’s just a matter of him remaining consistent enough to achieve that level of production on a nightly basis.
The Heat are in the midst of, well, I don’t really know. Their roster has the looks of a team attempting to rebuild, yet their production as of late has shown flashes of a competitive squad in the Eastern Conference playoff race — one that could trouble some upper-seeded teams if they manage to sneak into the 6th or 7th seed conversation in a wide-open Eastern Conference.
All-in-all, the Heat’s frontcourt is what still needs the most work, with Hassan Whiteside being the only real building block in that part of their rotation. Hartenstein gives them a potential floor spacer and a strong offensive weapon to cultivate alongside Hassan’s defensive presence around the rim, while also giving Goran Dragic another guy to play with off of screens.
Hartenstein averaged over 5 assists per 40 minutes in the U18 European championship, but coupled that with over 6 turnovers per 40 as well. That type of inconsistent, inefficient basketball is what he needs to overcome to find his greatest success at the NBA level. He has the ball control, vision, and shooting potential to match Lauri Markkanen’s ceiling at his max, but lacks the quality decision making and temperament to make that a reality as it stands.
Ideally, the Heat could help unlock the upper echelon of his potential.