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Knicks Free Agent Addition Outperforming Expectations
Nov 17, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) dribbles the basketball against the Miami Heat during the third quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks paraded into the offseason's final month with a mostly-set roster, prepared to build on their Eastern Conference Finals appearance mere months ago with an assortment of proven, recently-extended Knicks and a few bigger-name free agency acquisitions to pad out the rotation's margins.

Just before the start of training camp, they inked a few veterans and role players barely hanging along the league's fringes in providing audition opportunities to a few non-guaranteed contributors. Landry Shamet headlined the field, having spent the previous season with the Knicks, but he'd have to work to prove himself to the front office once again.

The journeyman shooter delivered on speculation that he'd outlast his peers in sticking it out through final cuts, and he's since blasted through any expectations that he'd appear as a third-string guard in New York's deep rotation.

He's enjoying a career shooting season in year-eight, earning his minutes the hard way in Mike Brown's new system. After impressing previous head coach Tom Thibodeau with his spot-up readiness and defensive hustle, he's filled the Knicks' reserve guard minutes to the tune of 9.9 points on 42.4% from 3-point distance.

New York Knicks Guard Landry Shamet Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Beyond the Stats

That marksmanship has certainly helped him remain a rotational mainstay in New York's backcourt, backing up Jalen Brunson in a platoon effort alongside Josh Hart, Jordan Clarkson and Miles McBride, but Shamet's willingness to deliver points in a pinch has really shined throughout November.

He stepped up big-time during Brunson's brief ankle-related absence, dropping a surprise 36 points in a 12/19 shooting effort. Occasional flirts with a spot-starting status have resulted to his only worming deeper into Brown's inner circle of trusted hands, as he's averaged over 24 minutes per game since first getting thrown into the starting five 11 games ago.

The veteran's found a way to apply his fingerprints all over the Knicks' successful month of games, making a huge two-way impact in their first road win of the season against the Dallas Mavericks. On one end he drilled a crucial go-ahead 3-pointer, then drew the game-sealing offensive foul to clinch New York's ninth victory of the season.

Even with Clarkson's ability to stroll into a game off of the bench at any point and walk into regular double-figure scoring, Shamet's cheap contract and his own instant results have won him acclaim as the Knicks' biggest success that's carried over from the summer.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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