On the cusp of a playoff showdown against the Detroit Pistons, is it possible that Landry Shamet's hot shooting streak to close out the year has earned him a spot in Tom Thibodeau's playoff rotation?
Over the last 12 games of the season, Shamet averaged 11.6 points while shooting a blistering 47 percent from three on over six attempts per game. His ability to come off screens and hit threes on the move sets him apart from the rest of his team. He generated 1.24 points per possession coming off screening actions, which was easily the best mark on the Knicks.
Whose minutes would Shamet take?
Then comes the question of whose minutes Shamet would take? Would it be Cam Payne? While Payne shot 36.3% from deep this season, he struggled for much of the second half of the season, shooting just 33.8 percent over his last 20 games. That said, much like Shamet, Payne provides a unique skill that few on the Knicks roster do.
Outside of Jalen Brunson, Payne is the only one on this Knicks roster who can generate good looks from three off the dribble.
He has been in a pretty real slump, but Cam Payne's ability to get off his own three, and make them at high clip for most of the year, is super important to the Knicks. Specifically because basically no one can on this roster besides Brunson.
— AOP_NBA (@aop_nba) March 24, 2025
..and maybe Kolek but I digress pic.twitter.com/IQzofBn4I1
The other option to potentially lose minutes in favor of Shamet is Deuce McBride, who has been in a slump of his own to end the year. Over his final 15 games, McBride shot just 37 percent on twos and 35.6% on threes.
Payne's defense and elite screen navigation still make him valuable, but his lack of size would make containing Cade Cunningham's 6 foot 6 inch frame a tall task anyway, and likely makes Shamet's shooting the more valuable option.
Tom Thibodeau takes the time to praise Shamet's recent play
During his most recent press conference, Thibodeau was asked how much weight Shamet's end-of-season play carries when deciding who gets playoff minutes. While (to no one's surprise) Thibodeau didn't reveal who he plans to have in the rotation for the playoffs, he did take the opportunity to praise the recent play of Shamet.
After referencing his "unfortunate" injury to start the season, Thibs went on to say, "It's been a steady climb; he's been playing great basketball right now." No one will know for sure what the playoff rotation looks like until we see it. What we do know, though, is that Shamet has made it impossible for the Knicks not to give him some serious consideration.