The start of the 2024-25 season has been a roller coaster for New York Knicks fans. From injuries to big wins to disappointing losses, fans have experienced it all.
New York is coming off perhaps its most brutal loss of the season in the NBA Cup quarterfinals against Atlanta. The Knicks dropped yet another winnable game, 108-100. There are rightfully questions about how New York will fare when the playoffs roll around, but luckily, that's still months away.
The Knicks are still waiting for key players like Mitchell Robinson to return. He had his second ankle surgery of the 2023-24 season in May and hasn't made his 2024-25 debut yet. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania initially reported that Robinson wouldn't return until January at the earliest, but the center hinted it could be sooner. However, that outcome has since been erased.
On Wednesday, Charania reported it's unlikely that Robinson will return until late January/early February. Knicks fans were disappointed, considering two of New York's biggest weaknesses are rim protection and rebounding. It didn't help that the Knicks got outrebounded by the Hawks a few hours after Charania's report.
At least Tom Thibodeau gave fans something to be happy about before New York tipped off against Atlanta. He said Landry Shamet is making "steady progress" and is taking contact after dislocating his shoulder in the preseason.
Tom Thibodeau says Landry Shamet is making steady progress in his rehab from a right shoulder dislocation. “Taking contact now, so he’s getting closer.” Shamet was waived by Knicks prior to season and was drafted by Westchester Knicks to allow him to rehab with organization.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) December 11, 2024
Landry Shamet closer to Knicks return after preseason shoulder injury
New York signed Shamet to a non-guaranteed contract during the offseason. The writing was on the wall that he'd make the final roster, but his shoulder injury changed everything. The Knicks waived him, but Westchester selected Shamet in the G League draft so he could rehab in New York.
Shamet became more important to the Knicks after the Karl-Anthony Towns trade that sent Donte DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves. The 27-year-old is a career 38.4% three-point shooter.
New York's bench averages only nine three-point attempts per game, the second-lowest average in the league, and 3.6 made three-pointers per game. The second unit also averages 20.8 points per game, the lowest in the league. Shamet won't fix all the bench scoring woes, but he'll help.
It sounds as if Shamet could return before Robinson, although that hasn't been confirmed. Shoulder injuries can be tricky (remember Julius?), so it's a positive sign that he's taking contact after avoiding surgery. Hopefully, he'll continue to progress and will make his regular-season Knicks debut in early 2025.