After the Knicks signed Landry Shamet to a minimum deal, it appeared they had used their last veteran minimum spot. However, shortly following the Shamet signing, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reported that the Knicks would also be signing Garrison Mathews to a training camp deal.
The Knicks only have the financial capacity to add one more veteran to a minimum deal, considering they are hard-capped at the second apron. Unless the Knicks plan on making some trades, only one of Shamet or Mathews will make the final roster. Fred Katz of The Athletic explained in a tweet that the two shooting wings will compete against one another in camp to earn the final spot.
Does Shamet have the upper hand?
One would assume that Shamet has an inherent advantage, considering he spent last season with the Knicks and already has relationships with the players and front office. There is also a deep level of respect from the organization for how Shamet dealt with his injury situation last season before coming back and earning a spot in the rotation in the Eastern Conference Finals, as SNY's Ian Begley reported earlier this summer.
Shamet is also a bit of a better defender than Mathews is, and is more capable of shooting with movement, which could end up being a differentiator between the two of them. Over the last five seasons, according to league tracking data, Shamet has generated 1.3 points per shot on catch-and-shoot opportunities while moving to the right or left. Mathews, meanwhile, has generated 0.89.
Mathews can shoot the lights out of the ball
Mathews is a sniper in every sense of the word. He has shot 38 percent from three over his career and has shot 38 percent or better in four of the six years he has been in the league. Last season, which Mathews spent with the Atlanta Hawks, he shot just under 40 percent from deep on 4.6 attempts per game.
For a Knicks team that ranked 27th in 3-point volume last season, adding someone as capable as Mathews makes plenty of sense. He is a monster on catch-and-shoot opportunities, draining a blistering 56.4 percent of his stationary catch-and-shoot attempts last season, which was the best mark in the league for anyone who attempted at least 75.
Shamet and Mathews both have strong cases, it will be interesting to see who makes the best impression on Mike Brown and the new coaching staff, something that could ultimately dictate who gets the spot.