Before suffering a dislocated shoulder in the preseason, Landry Shamet seemed to be a shoo-in to make the New York Knicks’ roster. It was unclear how much time he was going to miss, but he has remarkably already reached a huge step towards making a return.
Knicks’ Landry Shamet is nearing a return from injury
Shamet made his season debut for the Westchester Knicks – the G-League affiliate of the New York Knicks – on Monday and scored 10 points on 4-for-10 shooting in 19 minutes off the bench. Shamet was drafted second overall by Westchester in the G-League draft so that he could rehab his injury with the team.
The Knicks had signed him to a non-guaranteed contract before the start of training camp and then waived him after suffering the injury. New York since has signed Matt Ryan to fill out his spot, but he could be a waiver candidate given the lack of playing time he receives.
Shamet getting game action is a massive stepping stone towards returning to the NBA squad. They have dealt with early-season injuries that have seen Miles’s McBride, Cam Payne, and Precious Achiuwa miss time. Additionally, Mitchell Robinson has still yet to return from ankle surgery, and it will likely be a while before he does.
Shamet could provide a huge boost to the bench unit
The Knicks would really welcome Shamet back the moment he is able to return to the NBA hardwood. New York has one of the lowest-producing bench units in the NBA, as they rank dead last in bench points per game with 20.4 and 26th in assists off the bench with 6.2.
Shamet’s ability to knock down shots at a high percentage will provide a huge boost to their second unit. He is a career 38.4% shooter from three-point range.
The Knicks’ next game is set for Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road. It is still unclear if New York will elevate Shamet for that game, but it may not be much longer before he makes his long-awaited debut for the Knicks.