The New York Knicks brought back guard Landry Shamet in free agency because of the immediate impact he made on the court. Combining his lights-out shooting with incredible hustle on the defensive side, it wasn’t a hard decision to bring him back.
New head coach Mike Brown praised Shamet for his skill set and talked about what he can bring to the table following Sunday’s practice.
“His pace in full court, he’s always sprinting to the corner and with his shooting ability, he puts a lot of pressure on D and also flattens D and driving lanes [expand]. Half-court, he can create offense for teammates just with his gravity. Defensively unafraid, will guard whoever,” Brown said (h/t Posting and Toasting).
Shamet’s contract with New York is not guaranteed, but the expectation is that he will crack a spot on the active roster following the preseason. He made a tremendous impact when his name was called during the postseason, so the hope is that he brings that same energy this upcoming season.
Shamet was in and out of the rotation last year under Tom Thibodeau, but he still provided quality minutes. In the last 10 games of the regular season last year, Shamet averaged 12.2 points and shot a blistering 49% from three-point range, showcasing his ability to ignite a spark off the bench.
While he likely won’t be in the rotation to begin this season, thanks to the new pieces they’ve added, he is still important to have as depth. New York was fortunate to be relatively healthy last season, but that same injury luck is not guaranteed this year.
Having key depth pieces is essential for a Knicks team aiming to win a championship. Shamet has proven that he can provide a positive impact when his name gets called, and he will hopefully do that again this year for a team that has bigger goals in mind.
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