Since Game 3 of the first round, the New York Knicks have been shredding their way through the Eastern Conference en route to their first NBA Finals in 27 years. It was reported on Thursday that their success isn't limited to the hardwood, though, with the team expected to extend two key members of their rotation this offseason.
Both Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet are set to become free agents, but ESPN's Tim Bontemps says the Knicks are expected to sign both to two-year contracts. Everyone on the team should glad about Robinson, the defensive anchor, signing his third deal with New York. But when it comes to Shamet's pending extension, there probably isn't anyone happier than starting wing Mikal Bridges.
The two major reasons for Mikal Bridges to love Landry Shamet's return
Bridges and Shamet are known to have a bond that dates back to their time together on the Phoenix Suns. It was impossible to ignore when Bridges publicly suggested that former head coach Tom Thibodeau develop more trust in his reserves. While speaking to reporters, the wing named Shamet directly as someone that he felt Thibodeau should give a larger margin for error.
He likely didn't know that Shamet would be returning the favor, quite soon.
After eventually deploying Shamet in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks brought him back on another one year deal at the veteran's minimum. Head coach Mike Brown has been ecstatic, all season, about having the veteran sharpshooter in his locker room.
It's no secret that Bridges was benched several times, late in close games, throughout the course of the 2026 regular season. Almost every time Brown left the draft picks Bridges represented on the bench, he opted to play Shamet instead.
Bridges clearly worked through the issues that fueled his inconsistency in the regular season. He's been delivering otherworldly impact on both ends of the floor, breaking efficiency records and clamping up every All-Star guard the playoff bracket has presented him with. He hasn't left Brown feeling like the Knicks had the best chance to win with one of their starting wings on the bench.
But Shamet has still played a key role in New York's postseason run, thus far. It's still hard to imagine that — between their friendship and tendency to cover for each other over the grind of an 82-game regular season — anyone is happier that he'll be signing a third contract with the Knicks this summer.
Add us as a preferred source on Google