The Knicks are saying hello again to Landry Shamet.
More than two months after dislocating his shoulder during the preseason, Shamet has re-signed with the Knicks on a one-year deal, officials confirmed Sunday.
The veteran sharpshooter passed surgery this season for a chance to play again, continued to rehabilitate aggressively, and appeared in the G League three times.
Shamet appears to have done enough to give the Knicks another chance, but there is certainly room for improvement on Tom Thibodeau's bench, which ranks last in minutes played and points scored.
Currently, the regular bench rotation is limited to Miles McBride, Cam Payne, and Precious Achiuwa. Jericho Sims has been in and out of the rotation.
Shamet, 27, has six seasons of NBA experience, has decent size and strength for the two-guard position, and most importantly for the Knicks, has outside shooting.
He was a lock to make the final lineup from training camp, but suffered a shoulder injury in the fourth preseason game against the Hornets.
Shamet, who was teammates with Payne and Mikal Bridges on the Phoenix Suns, was waived with a torn shoulder muscle before being drafted by the Westchester Knicks.
In this context, the Knicks waived Matt Ryan, who was unable to capitalize on his early opportunities in the Knicks' rotation.
Ryan is averaging 1.7 points on just 29 percent shooting in nine games, but is still eligible to re-sign to a two-way contract.
Had he not been fired, his regular contract would have been guaranteed by January 10th.
Shamet, who also played for the Nets, Wizards, Clippers and Sixers, averaged 10.7 points and shot just 36.7 percent in the G League since recovering from his shoulder.
In four preseason appearances with the Knicks, Shamet averaged 10.8 points in 22 minutes and consistently drew praise from Thibodeau.
“He's adjusting very well,” the Knicks coach said during training camp. “I think there's some benefit to having played with Cam and Mikal, so I'm familiar with them. Versatility, ability to play multiple positions. Thinking on your feet, being able to think on your feet,” He can execute and he can actually shoot the ball.
“Those types of guys, I really like the speed of our second unit. When you look at Cam, Deuce and Landry, I think they complement each other really well, so I like their perimeter play. I like them together.”
