Feb 10, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon (15) handles the ball during the first quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

Which New Guard Should Knicks Keep?

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Sep 13, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The NBA news cycle has been nearly silent throughout the first half of September, but the New York Knicks finally woke everyone up with a few rotation-rounding moves along the margins.

Over two months after the Knicks signed their last free agents, roping Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson into next season's plans of expanding their bench reliability, and the organization has taken its sweet time in evaluating how to fill their final outside contract slot.

They finally ended the months of speculation on Thursday, moving on from speculation surrounding Ben Simmons and Malik Beasley in inking journeyman shooter Landry Shamet for a return back to the Knicks and maintaining a fan-favorite. They then waited until Friday morning to strike again in signing another free agent guard, Malcolm Brogdon, to his own one-year deal.

Knicks-turned-NBA reporter Fred Katz confirmed that the team will have to choose between which of Brogdon or Shamet will remain on the roster come opening night, with deeper-cut signee Garrison Mathews sticking out as the most obvious cut candidate of the three.

Their non-guaranteed money spells out the veterans' expendability, even though both Brogdon and Shamet still have a clear role worth bringing into Mike Brown's team.

Brogdon's playmaking intrigue is harder to find than Shamet's jump shot, but he's a worse bet to play consistent minutes in New York. The frequently-injured backup point guard has only crossed the 65-game threshold twice in his nine seasons, though those mark the seasons in which he took home Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year. Since that acclaimed bench season with the Boston Celtics two seasons ago, though, the rest of the league has evidently gotten wise to Brogdon's health concerns.

New York Knicks Guard Malcolm Brogdon Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

He'd fill a crucial need in the rotation, the coveted backup point guard to keep the ball moving when Jalen Brunson sits and feed the hot hand when the share minutes on the floor. This would be his best shot at contending since his Celtics days, even if he'd be far from a guarantee to crack double-digit minutes on the regular.

Shamet makes for a much simpler plug-and-play piece, as he demonstrated to Knicks fans last season. He elevated all the way from the G League team into the playoff roster, hustling for some much-needed bench minutes in New York's eventual defeat in the Eastern Conference Finals. His most obvious asset is his shooting, a welcome addition alongside all of the other floor-spacers the front office wrangled in, and he flourished on a reserve unit that now looks slightly crowded.

These are the two clearest candidates to close out the full 15-man lineup, with New York indicating that it's up to these veterans to determine who'll stick it out until late October.

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

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