Isaiah Hartenstein recently became an unrestricted free agent after the Cleveland Cavaliers declined to extend him a qualifying offer.
It seems that there are a number of teams interested in signing the big man. He reportedly held a workout on Friday that was attended by some team representatives, including one from the Cavs.
FA Isaiah Hartenstein, who finished season with #Cavs after being acquired in JaVale McGee trade, held a workout for teams in Vegas on Friday, a source said. Cavs had a rep on hand. As I’ve written, the door remains open for a return. But seems Cavs are still prioritizing wing
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) August 15, 2021
The Cavs acquired Hartenstein from the Denver Nuggets in March along with two future second-round picks in exchange for JaVale McGee.
Following the deal, the German-American center played the best stretch of his young career. In 16 games in a Cleveland uniform, he averaged 8.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. He posted those numbers while playing just 17.9 minutes per contest.
A return to the Cavs is still a possibility. However, the Cavs already have several frontcourt players on the roster after drafting Evan Mobley in the 2021 NBA Draft and re-signing Jarrett Allen in free agency.
Of course, having another big man on the team wouldn’t hurt, especially since some of Cleveland’s veterans, such as Kevin Love and Larry Nance Jr., are injury-prone.