So much about the 2024-25 New York Knicks has become clear throughout their playoff run, and more specifically, during their Eastern Conference Finals showdown against the Indiana Pacers. Not all of it’s good. Much of it is not. But some of it is good news, and one revelation, in particular, has become undeniable while also flying under the radar:
The Knicks can’t let Landry Shamet leave in free agency this summer.
Landry Shamet is quietly giving the Knicks a much-needed jolt
After barely playing through the first two rounds or the opening two tilts against Indiana, Shamet has totaled nearly 37 minutes over the past three games. During that time, the Knicks have outscored the Pacers by 22 points. That’s the best mark on the entire team, aside from Karl-Anthony Towns, who only seized the top spot by posting a plus-26 in New York’s Game 3 romp.
This isn’t meant to imply Shamet must be inserted into the starting five. He is going up against Indy’s backups, predominantly in units that feature Towns without Jalen Brunson.
Yet, that’s the entire point. The Knicks and head coach Tom Thibodeau have been ridiculed for their shallow rotation all season. Shamet is helping extend their depth on the biggest stage, at a time when New York’s back is up against the wall.
He is an outside threat unlike any other on the roster. Though he’s taken just six threes in the series, he’s made three of them. That volume comes out to around six three-point attempts per 36 minutes, the third-highest mark among rotation players.
New York needs that volume and efficiency not just now, but indefinitely. The Knicks ranked 27th during the regular season in the percentage of their shots coming from downtown. Shamet joined Brunson as the only player on the team who both attempted more than five threes per 36 minutes and hit them at a clip north of 38 percent.
But it’s not just his shooting the Knicks need. His defensive energy against the Pacers has mushroomed into a godsend, too. He has competed on switches, even when guarding down low, while providing a metric ton of general ball pressure.
Every team could use reserves who fight on defense, and make threes without hesitating to shoot them. New York has one. But can it keep him?
Shamet’s free agency could get tricky for the Knicks
Shamet will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He is not a household name, and only one team has cap space, so his market isn’t going to be fierce.
Still, he could be looking for a raise and more long-term security after playing on a minimum deal. The Knicks may flinch at guaranteeing more dollars or years.
They are almost $4 million into the first apron, and just over $8 million away from the second apron, with only 11 players on the books. Their wiggle room can increase if they waive P.J. Tucker’s non-guaranteed deal, but if they want to access the mini mid-level exception ($5.7 million), they’ll be working within fine lines.
Perhaps Shamet is willing to sign another bargain-bin deal after New York stuck with him (sort of) through his shoulder injury this season. The Knicks may also be prepared to offer him an actual role.
Focusing on a reserve who has yet to log 15 minutes in a single game this postseason as New York attempts to make NBA history against Indiana seems counterintuitive, perhaps even underwhelming. It’s not. As much as the Knicks must live in this moment, their margin for error moving forward is so slim that they also need to be planning for the future.
For his part, Shamet has done more than enough in dribs and drabs to be part of that future—no matter how this series and season ends.