The New York Knicks have agreed to a one-year deal with veteran shooting guard Landry Shamet, according to Adrian Wojnarowski. Shamet will offer the Eastern Conference contenders some extra depth in the backcourt and another 3-point threat.
A first-round pick back in 2018 by the Philadelphia 76ers, Shamet was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers mid-way through his rookie season, which began his basketball odyssey. This will be Shamet’s sixth team in eight seasons, and he has never spent more than two seasons with any one franchise. In addition to the Sixers and Clippers, he’s played for the Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards.
Shamet entered the league with a reputation as an elite shooter, and that’s just what he’s been. He’s made 38.4% of his career attempts, though he is coming off a disappointing campaign with the Wizards, in which he was limited to 46 games and shot 33.8%.
While Shamet offers little else besides shooting, that is perhaps the single most sought-after skill, which is why he keeps getting contracts.
The Knicks were in the middle of the pack last season in terms of both the frequency and effectiveness of their 3-point attack. They were 13th in attempts at 35.8 per game and 14th in percentage at 36.9. So much of that responsibility fell to two players, however, as Donte DiVincenzo and Jalen Brunson accounted for 42% of their 3-point attempts. The only other returning player who averaged at least five 3s per game last season was Julius Randle, who shot 31.1%.
Adding Shamet will give them an additional shooter off the bench who can stretch defenses and open up driving lanes for the likes of Brunson and Randle. Earlier in the summer, they also swung a blockbuster trade for Mikal Bridges, who among his many traits is a career 37.5% shooter, and added backup point guard Cameron Payne, who has made 36.9% of his career attempts.
The Knicks are never going to fire away from behind the arc like the Boston Celtics or Sacramento Kings, so they need to be efficient when they do shoot. Their offseason additions should make it easier for them to achieve that goal.
