Clippers’ Isaiah Hartenstein returns from ankle sprain

Tyronn Lue was back to juggling three centers Saturday in San Antonio.

The Clippers’ coach certainly welcomed the challenge because it meant that for the first time since Dec. 18, Isaiah Hartenstein was able to join his teammates on the court.

A sprained left ankle cost 23-year-old an opportunity to play in the past 13 games – contests in which the Clippers went 5-8 and got outrebounded by an average of 51.8 to 42.8, including 14.1 to 8.2 on the offensive glass.

While he was out, the Clippers fully guaranteed Hartenstein’s contract – a one-year, $1.7 million deal he earned when he edged Harry Giles III for the Clippers’ 15th and final roster spot.

Guaranteeing the deal was something of a no-brainer considering how much Hartenstein “has meant” to the Clippers, as Lue put it, in his first season with the team.

Since coming aboard, the 7-foot lefty with the phenomenal float game has brought reliable energy and a a point guard’s passing flourish while averaging 7.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists through 29 games.

“Coming in, I really didn’t know how much to expect from him, but he’s exceeded all expectations,” Lue said Jan. 8, before the Clippers lost to Memphis. “Like as far just passing the basketball, his energy, rebounding the basketball, protecting the paint, you know, he’s done a lot for the team and so we miss him.

“We missed his energy, and I’m just happy to see him get a guarantee because he’s definitely earned it.”

The big man was on a minutes restriction in his first game back Saturday, Lue acknowledged, adding that he planned to start Ivica Zubac at center and then to sub in Serge Ibaka first before giving calling Hartenstein’s No. 55.

“And then,” Lue said, “we’ll kind of see how it goes from there.”

MOON LANDING

As Hartenstein has used this season – his fourth in the NBA, with his fourth team – to prove his value, hardship signee Xavier Moon is making good on his sliver of opportunity.

The 6-foot-2(ish) point guard was signed to a third 10-day deal on Friday, extending his stay while guard Luke Kennard and Justise Winslow remain in the NBA’s COVID-19 healthy and safety protocols.

Moon, a 27-year-old who’s played in Israel, France and Canada, where he was a three-time Canadian Elite Basketball League MVP – was a member of the Agua Caliente Clippers’ roster this season before making his NBA debut with the Clippers on Dec. 27.

Since then, he’s played in six NBA games, tallying 83 minutes, 10 assists, nine rebounds and five steals while shooting 41.2% from the floor and making three of 10 3-point attempts – including playing 14 minutes and going for 10 points and four assists in Thursday’s loss to New Orleans.

“The biggest thing is his IQ,” Lue said, over Zoom, before his Clippers faced the Spurs in San Antonio. “He picks up things very well, and pretty fast and just going over a couple plays we put in today, like, he’s on the sideline, he knew everything we were doing. So just the way he picks things up.”

But that’s not all Lue appreciates about the swift, deceptively springy guard.

“I love his pace, he knows how to play … to come to a team like this and perform the way he has, it shows he’s a good player and that he’s definitely making a case that he belongs. So it’s just good to see.

“He has a skill set and he just needed an opportunity and the opportunity we’ve given him, he’s definitely taking advantage of it.”