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Former NBA First Round Pick in G League Agrees to Deal With Knicks

Courtney Tate

Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks agreed to resign guard Landry Shamet, according to ESPN”s Shams Charania. According to Charania, Shamet’s agent George S. Lambert of GSL Sports Group confirmed the deal on Sunday.

Shamet was a member of the Knicks roster in September, before being waived due to a shoulder injury. During a preseason game earlier in the year, the seven-year NBA veteran suffered a dislocated shoulder, impacting his future with the franchise.

Now, having fully recovered, Shamet joined the Westchester Knicks to compete in the NBA G-League Showcase where he averaged double figures in scoring. Prior to the injury, Shamet was reportedly locked in to stay on the main roster for the remainder of the regular season.

After joining the Knicks on a non-guraunteed contract during training camp, Shamet impressed Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau.

“I don’t make the final decision on that, but I;m basing it on what [Shamet’s] done on the floor, He’s done really well,” Thibodeau told reporters in an earlier interview during the season. ‘The second unit, as I said, I’m anxious to see him as well because I’ve seen what they’ve done in practice and they’ve really done well together as a unit,” he said.

Thibodeau mentioned Shamet plays well with some of the team’s second unit including Cameron Payne, Miles McBride, Ariel Hukporti, and Kevin McCullar. Adding Shamet back to the roster adds more depth to the rotation, especially in that second unit coming off the bench.

Shamet is most notable for his 3-point shooting, which is an area the Knicks could use lots more consistency. The Knicks have also struggled at times this season with spacing on the floor, and adding another reliable long-range shooter to the roster can help spread the offense out and create better lanes to score.

Shamet’s ability to score from deep can help make the Knicks more effective in pick-and-roll situations, something this offense relies heavily on throughout the game. He brings a veteran presence to the team, having spent time with the Brooklyn Nets. Especially coming off the bench, Shamet’s leadership potential could be pivotal in helping develop the younger talent on the Knicks’ bench.

Over the course of his seven seasons in the league, Shamet averaged 10.8 points, shooting 38.4% from the field. After an extremely successful stretch of games in the G League Winter Showcase, Shamet now gets the opportunity to finish what he started before his injury.

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Courtney Tate
COURTNEY TATE

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