The New York Knicks have a Landry Shamet problem on their hands: He’s playing too well. The Knicks have a very clear rotation, and as the playoffs inch closer, they’re going to have to cut people out of it. For a while, it seemed like Shamet would be an obvious cut. But now, that doesn’t seem like a clear choice anymore.
Lately, Shamet has been on fire from deep range. Having an elite three-point threat in the lineup is a huge advantage for the Knicks, and Shamet gives them more than that, too. He can put the ball on the floor a bit, and he fights hard on the defensive end. Shamet is making it hard for the Knicks to keep him off the floor right now
Mike Brown is going to have some tough decisions come playoff time.
Landry Shamet's great play is making playoff rotation decisions hard
Shamet’s play has been incredible lately. His three-point shooting is leading the way, and he’s been one of the most dependable players in Brown’s rotation.
In Shamet’s last 11 games, he’s playing 26.5 minutes per contest, and the Knicks are 7-4 in those contests. He’s been a major part of the rotation on a game-to-game basis.
During that span, Shammet is averaging 12.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 47.5% from the floor and 41.7% from deep range on 6.5 three-point attempts per contest.
Having that sort of shooting lining the three-point line while Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns work in the pick-and-roll gives the Knicks a huge advantage on the offensive side of the ball.
But once the playoffs come around, Brown will inevitably have to cut the rotation a little bit. He’ll want his best players on the court at all times.
Brunson, Towns, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges are all going to be part of that rotation. Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride (once he’s healthy) will be, too. Then there are guys like Mohamed Diawara and Jose Alvarado.
If all of those guys were to receive minutes, the Knicks would be running a nine-man rotation. Shamet would make it 10. And that’s without accounting for the likes of Jordan Clarkson and Jeremy Sochan.
Most teams cut their rotations down to eight guys in the playoffs. Shamet’s recent success is giving the Knicks a serious problem: They have too many players who deserve to play in the postseason. And Brown could have to make some tough rotational cuts.