The New York Knicks lost Landry Shamet to a shoulder injury in late November against the Magic. It was a tough blow, both for Shamet and the team's depth. The sharpshooter was having a solid season to that point, having gained the trust of head coach Mike Brown and even recording a career-high 36 points against the Heat just a week before he was sidelined. Recently, however, Shamet returned to the practice court. He's fully participating in on-court basketball activities and is working toward taking contact, with a return expected next month per SNY's Ian Begley.
Shamet close to returning to Knicks' bench
The Knicks' depth has been one of their biggest strengths through the start of Brown's tenure, a welcome development for fans. Losing the veteran didn't doom the season, with the team still able to win the NBA Cup in his absence.
The vacated minutes have led to more opportunities for emerging young Knicks like Tyler Kolek, Mohamed Diawara, and Kevin McCullar Jr., who may have seen less playing time with the team at full health.
While nobody should want any player on any team to suffer an injury, the Knicks' early season woes with regard to their health could end up helping the team in the long run. Kolek, Diawara, and even McCullar Jr. proving themselves as capable of eating an inning here or there could legitimately help the team get through the grind of an 82-game regular season: getting to the playoffs at full strength is integral to their championship hopes.
It's that chase for an NBA title, though, that makes Shamet's return so important. The veteran quickly earned a genuine and deep trust from his head coach, who went as far as to declare after Shamet's injury that he would cover the cost of his contract himself if that's what was necessary to keep him around.
It was a bold statement from Brown, who made it tongue-in-cheek to reporters in the heat of the moment. It showed the extent to which the coach values Shamet's contributions to the team, both on and off the court. It's hard to imagine he'd ride that hard for somebody that isn't necessarily well-liked in the locker room or that he feels might have talent, but holds the group back with a hypothetical lack of work ethic.
Brown feels strongly that Shamet is a grinder, and he'll be glad to have him in his rotation again soon. The return raises several questions regarding how much the veteran will play once back and which players might see a decrease in opportunities as a result. But those can be addressed when necessary. For now, it's just good to know Shamet's on his way back.