ESPN insider Shams Charania is going through some backlash this weekend as a result of his report about Isaiah Hartenstein‘s new contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Charania reported Friday night time that Hartenstein plans on signing a three-year, $75 million contract with the Thunder. This deal will maintain him in Oklahoma City by the 2028-29 season. While followers are thrilled about this contract, they’re barely thrown off by the wording that Charania utilized in his preliminary publish about Hartenstein.
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“Oklahoma City’s Isaiah Hartenstein intends to sign a new three-year contract to return to the Thunder through 2028-29 that brings his total earnings with the franchise at five years and $134 million guaranteed, sources tell ESPN. A key signing in 2024 leading to the 2025 championship, Thunder lock in the defensive anchor,” Charania reported. “Hartenstein and his reps, Andrew Morrison and Aaron Mintz of CAA Sports, worked with the Thunder on an agreement that brings $75 million in new money over the next three years — plus a maximum 15% trade kicker and a unique mutual option that allows both parties to rework the agreement again in 2028 prior to the final season.”
NBA followers wasted no time ripping Charania on-line.
“Just tell us the new contract instead of spinning stuff for agents,” one fan mentioned.
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“Isaiah Hartenstein was signed to a three year, seventy-five million dollar contract. Reporting “complete earnings with the franchise” (which includes the past two seasons) is, frankly, an incredibly bizarre way to report the contract that was 100% written by the agent,” one other fan wrote.
“What a disingenuous way to report a contract,” a 3rd fan commented.
It’s been a tough week for Shams.
During the primary spherical of the NBA Draft, Charania initially mentioned the Memphis Grizzlies agreed to commerce No. 16 choose Bennett Stirtz to the Thunder for 2 second-round picks. That had numerous followers confused by this deal.
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“That’s very questionable, does that mean OKC have traded pick 17?? I like the fit though for Stirtz,” one fan mentioned.
“Who is Memphis gm? 2 2nds was all it took for you to let go of a 1st in a loaded draft? Wow,” one other fan replied.
Charania later corrected his report and mentioned the Thunder additionally despatched the seventeenth choose to the Grizzlies as a part of this deal.
Although he is normally glorious together with his reporting, Charania will get referred to as out any time there’s even a minor error.
This story was initially printed by The Spun on Jun 27, 2026, the place it first appeared within the NBA part. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.