The New York Knicks are on the verge of becoming whole again. According to Ian Begley of SNY, both Josh Hart and Landry Shamet (shoulder) are nearing returns, and could rejoin the rotation within the next week.
New York previously tipped its hand on the Hart front. Though he is already ruled out for the January 7 tilt against the Los Angeles Clippers, the tenor of Begley’s comments, made around the 36:13 mark of The Putback with Ian Begley, suggest he'll be back in the fold by Friday’s meeting versus the Phoenix Suns.
Shamet’s timeline for return has been more mysterious. He avoided having surgery on his right shoulder, paving the way for a quicker recovery. That optimism has not typically been accompanied by a target date. Begley, however, says he could be back “within the week,” if not shortly thereafter.
This should all come as desperately welcomed news to the Knicks. Hart and Shamet will not fix everything currently ailing this team, but the trickle-down effect they’ll have on the rotation stands to be massive.
Josh Hart and Landry Shamet could be the Knicks’ biggest midseason acquisitions
Make no mistake, New York has little reason to sit out the trade deadline. At the same time, with scant few assets to dangle, the returns of Hart and Shamet could wind up being the most impactful additions they make.
The Knicks are now 2-4 since Hart’s injury, during which time they rank 20th in offense, and 27th in defense. More broadly speaking, since winning the NBA Cup, they now have a below-average offense, and a bottom-four defense.
Hart’s energy has clearly been missed more than anything. His capacity to fill a bunch of gaps has long been underappreciated. It won’t be anymore.
He arms the Knicks with another competent ball-handler, a perimeter player who generates rim pressure, a solid secondary playmaker, a capable wing defender, and perhaps most importantly, someone who can push the pace with Jalen Brunson on the floor. This says nothing of the loose balls and rebounds he will sacrifice body and mind to chase down.
Shamet, meanwhile, emerged as one of the league’s best bargains at the time of his shoulder injury. His three-point volume (7.6 attempts per 36 minutes) and efficiency (42.4 percent) is rivaled only by Deuce McBride.
Getting Shamet back can help the Knicks navigate long-range ruts from OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns that have all but torpedoed their cases for All-Star bids. He also quietly established himself as one of New York’s peskiest defenders. He’s not turning off anyone’s water, but the fight he shows on screens and away from the ball is refreshing to say the least.
New York’s rotation may now have fewer weak links
Returns from Shamet and Hart should also allow the Knicks to lean on fewer weak links in the rotation.
Distancing themselves from any Guerschon Yabusele minutes whatsoever gets a lot easier with Hart in the fold. Downsizing further is more palatable with Shamet, who’s an objectively better fit for three-guard lineups than someone like Jordan Clarkson.
Granted, these updates probably come as bad news for youngsters on the fringes of the rotation—mainly, Mohamed Diawara and Kevin McCullar Jr. So be it. Mike Brown must still find a way to carve out developmental minutes. Especially for Diawara, and all that he’s capable of on the defensive end.
At this point, though, the Knicks won’t be pulled out their downward spiral by unknowns. They need players they can count on, night to night, possession to possession. Two of them now seem close to returning—which is, at the moment, nothing short of a godsend.