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Apr 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) shown warming up on the court prior to the game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Veteran Guard Emerging as Key Knicks Reserve

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Oct 10, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The New York Knicks entered this offseason with the intention of rebuilding their rotational depth, having sorely missed out on the bench help required to make it as far as they envisioned in last season's playoffs.

A lot of their fringe-pieces were elevated into relied-upon options, with Cameron Payne, Precious Achiuwa and Delon Wright ending the Eastern Conference Finals having logged regular playoff appearances. Out they went, disappearing into the dregs of free agency, and in came more qualified reserves like Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson as likelier difference-makers.

It took a long time for the Knicks to agree to terms with anyone else following that burst at the start of free agency's opening window, but they eventually did decide to bring one available recent Knick back for another ride. Landry Shamet headlined their slew of non-guaranteed late-summer signings last month, padding the bench with some of the enticing shooting he offered in last year's fragmented run with the franchise.

The journeyman guard's made a niche for himself as a margin contributor for contending teams across his seven-season career, appearing in 64 playoff games over a dozen different series. He emerged as a Tom Thibodeau favorite during the coach's last stand as the Knicks coach before the team opted to replace him with Mike Brown, offering hustling defense and helpful floor-spacing from deep off of the bench.

He's long-survived by leaning on a 3-point jump shot that's gone in at a respectable 38.5% rate over his career, with his most-recent 39.7% clip finishing as his best finish in five years. He's not a complete zero when he has to score within the arc, either, finishing 59.5% of his attempts from 2-point range last season on 60.1% true shooting.

New York Knicks Guard Landry Shamet Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Shamet's at his best when he's not asked to step outside of his 3&D role in the back court; he's occasionally struggled at past stops when he was thrust with regular ball-handling responsibilities or too many minutes. Here in New York, where the rejuvenated back court leaves less room for hierarchy questions, Brown won't have to think about deploying his shooter.

Jalen Brunson is the obvious backcourt alpha, even if Brown's focused on easing his on-ball load entering 2026. Just like he did last season, he'll be trusted with saving the Knicks from ugly possessions with his shotmaking prowess, trusting his teammates to hit from deep when he swing the ball.

Shamet was called upon during the non-Brunson minutes last spring, but the Knicks' potentially starting Mitchell Robinson would add more competition to the guard room with Josh Hart's bench insertion. The younger, more dynamic Miles McBride will surely join the veteran as helpful second unit hands, as will the audacious scorer Clarkson.

Only when Brown dips into his fringe-rotational pieces will he get to his off-ball specialist, and that's where he's best deployed. If he's missing the touch on his jumper, there are others to pick up the slack, and he'll get more minutes should he prove himself on a night-to-night basis. As far as 10th man options go, you can do a lot worse than Shamet.

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

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