The Knicks waived guard Landry Shamet ahead of Saturday's 5 p.m. deadline, the team announced. This means they have decided not to guarantee his contract while he awaits rehabilitation from a dislocated right shoulder.
Shamet, who was injured in Tuesday's preseason game against the Hornets, was in camp on a non-guaranteed Exhibition 9 contract.
Because the Knicks waived him before the deadline, they will only pay him $15,000 in settlement.
TJ Warren and Chuma Okeke, who also entered camp on non-guaranteed contracts, were also waived.
Coach Tom Thibodeau said Friday night in Washington that he was still “gathering information” about the possibility of Shamet, 27, undergoing surgery, but the seven-year NBA veteran is hoping to avoid surgery. He said there are signs that it will.
On Saturday, Shamet posted a video of himself already riding a stationary bike to his Instagram Story with the caption, “Iron sharpens iron.” Let’s do our best today, baby,” Major Lazer’s song “Cold Water,” featuring Justin Bieber and Mo, played in the background.
He also posted on Thursday vowing to “return soon.”
“I don't know what all the information is,” Thibodeau said Friday night. “Based on the information I have at the moment, it's a dislocated shoulder. He's still gathering information, so we'll just go from there. So he's already started his rehabilitation. And he likes it. He also needs more information.”
The Knicks currently have 12 players on guaranteed contracts and need to reach 14 by Tuesday's regular-season opener in Boston.
Shamet, who was expected to be a part of the Knicks' rotation before suffering an injury, is off the bench, but there are multiple options to replace him.
They could use Shamet's spot to sign another veteran or free agent like Marcus Morris or Lonnie Walker IV.
Walker, who played for the Nets last season, was waived by the Celtics on Saturday.
Last season, he shot 38.4 percent from 3-point range with Brooklyn.
The Knicks could also convert second-round pick Ariel Hukporti's two-way contract to a guaranteed NBA contract in order to take one of those roster spots.
