Landry Shamet was expected to add to the Knicks’ depth this season, and he finally joined the team’s bench and was in uniform after recuperating from a gruesome shoulder injury suffered late in the preseason.
Shamet was officially signed and active for Monday’s 139-125 win over the Raptors at the Garden. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said the six-year NBA veteran wasn’t expected to need a further ramp-up period after playing a few games in the G League with Westchester, though he checked in with less than 90 seconds left Monday.
“Not really. That was more just to see where he was in terms of — getting him some games,” Thibodeau said before the win. “Being in games is a lot different than being in practice.
“So just getting that, to make sure everything is good, to see how he felt the next day, that was part of the rehab. But we thought he had a great training camp. Unfortunately, he got hurt in that last game.”
Shamet made his only shot in his debut.
“I was so amped up today, man, I’ve been chomping at the bit for a while,” Shamet said. “It just felt good to be back in the building, suit it up, be with the guys, lock in on a game plan, and be a teammate. I’m just grateful that I felt good to get in the game there at the end and kind of just see the first one go in.”
The 27-year-old Shamet was with the Knicks on a non-guaranteed deal in training camp, but he clearly was about to claim a roster spot — and a likely place in Thibodeau’s rotation — when he suffered a dislocated shoulder Oct. 15 against the Hornets.
Thibodeau mostly has leaned on his starting five — with Mikal Bridges leading the league with 38.5 minutes played per game — but Shamet figures to join a bench unit primarily consisting of Miles McBride, Cam Payne and Precious Achiuwa, with Jericho Sims also seeing situation duty.
Thibodeau doesn’t believe it will take Shamet long to get up to speed with the Knicks, who have won nine of their past 11 games to improve to 19-10 on the season.
In addition to spending camp with the squad, Shamet also was a teammate alongside Bridges and Payne with the Suns in 2021-22.
“I think that’s a big thing,” Thibodeau said. “I think that Cam and Mikal, along with Landry, they were part of a Phoenix team that went deep in the playoffs. So I think that’s a plus, as well.”
The 6-foot-4 Shamet, who was signed to a one-year deal to replace waived wing Matt Ryan on the Knicks roster, bypassed surgery for a chance to play again this season. The Wichita State product gives the Knicks another outside weapon, shooting 38.4 percent from 3-point range and averaging 8.7 points over 348 career games with the Sixers, Clippers, Nets, Suns and Wizards.
In four preseason appearances with the Knicks, Shamet registered 10.8 points in 22 minutes per game.
Now Shamet is just happy he can contribute to the team.
“I’m a big believer that things and circumstances happen for a reason, and you might not understand why in the moment, but there’s a benefit, a silver lining in every situation,” Shamet said about his injury. “So it was another test of that belief. It really tried me on that belief, and it was good practice on that front.
“Rehab is always a roller coaster, good days, bad days, but all things considered we’re nine weeks removed from that happening and I feel really good and really grateful and happy to be back in this position with this group.”