All signs point to veteran guard receiving one of the Knicks' open roster spots

To say that the last couple of weeks have been a rollercoaster for New York Knicks fans would be an understatement. Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo are gone, and Karl-Anthony Towns is home. It's been a lot to process.

New York played its first preseason game on Sunday and debuted its new-look lineup: Brunson, Bridges, Hart, Anunoby, and Towns. McBride was the first player off the bench to replace Bridges. There weren't any surprises.

The Knicks have four more preseason games left before the real action begins on Oct. 22. Several players are vying for one of the open roster spots. Landry Shamet and Chuma Okeke are on non-guaranteed deals. Jacob Toppin, Ariel Hukporti, and Kevin McCullar Jr. are on two-way contracts.

Now that the dust from the KAT trade is settled, New York has 12 players signed to guaranteed deals. The Knicks need to up that number 14 before the regular season. Based on what reporters shared from training camp last week, it's a safe bet to assume New York will sign Shamet to a veteran's minimum deal.

Tom Thibodeau has raved about veteran Landry Shamet

Shamet's shooting stood out at camp. Thibodeau even complimented his defense. The 27-year-old is essentially a lock to make the roster.

“I don’t make the final decision on that, but I’m basing it on what [Shamet’s] done on the floor. He’s really done well,” Thibodeau said.

Thibodeau also noted the chemistry Shamet shares with Cam Payne. The two played together in Phoenix (with Mikal Bridges). Thibs said that Shamet, Payne, and Miles McBride are "very fast" and "play with a lot of speed."

New York's depth took a hit by losing Randle and DiVincenzo. The former was slated to come off the bench after the Bridges trade. He was a top Sixth Man of the Year candidate. The Knicks didn't want to lose DiVincenzo, but sending him to Minnesota got the deal with the Timberwolves done.

Shamet isn't DiVincenzo, but like DiVincenzo, his shooting will be a bonus. He's a 38.4% career three-point shooter. It wouldn't be surprising if Shamet makes the cut for Thibodeau's nine-man rotation. He shot 4-of-8 from three and finished with 16 points in the Knicks' preseason win over the Hornets.

The veteran guard has suited up for two Atlantic Division teams with past stops in Philadelphia (2018-19) and Brooklyn (2020-21). He'll soon add a third team to that list.