New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reveals his early appreciation for Landry Shamet after his performance vs the Los Angeles Lakers
The New York Knicks remain one of the top teams being linked to Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo in trade rumors ahead of the February 5th NBA trade deadline, but it'll be a tough decision for their front office to make given their recent success.
On Sunday, the Knicks defended their home court against the Los Angeles Lakers in a 112-100 victory after a strong second-half performance. Going from a four-game losing streak to a six-game winning streak, things are trending upwards in New York as they are starting to look more like the team they were in mid-December.
Mike Brown On Landry Shamet
OG Anunoby was sensational for the Knicks on Sunday, finishing with 25 points and eight rebounds. However, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson combined for just 23 points, so they went to the bench to get some help as Landry Shamet had 23 points all by himself.
Shooting 8-of-13 from the field and 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, it was Shamet's best game since coming back from injury on January 15th. He might not be the flashiest of players, but Shamet has proved to be a valuable role player on this Knicks team as depth has become a bigger emphasis under Mike Brown.
After the win, Brown was asked about Shamet's role, revealing he grew appreciation for him before he was even offered the Knicks coaching job.
"When I watched tape before I got the job. I was a fan of his. I just saw things that he did out on the floor last year that I was like, 'wow.' This guy could be really good on both ends of the floor. That was something that I came in saying during my interview process," Brown said.
Shamet didn't play that big of a role in the 2024-25 season, appearing in 7.5 minutes per game in 11 playoff games and playing just 15.2 minutes per game in the regular season. Now averaging over 20 minutes per game this season, it's now known that Brown was already fond of Shamet before he saw him practice for him.
While there are questions on the Knicks roster with Towns' recent production and their depth in the frontcourt, the Knicks have one of the deepest guard rotations in the league with Tyler Kolek and Miles McBride alongside Brunson and Shamet.
Rumors continue to circulate, and if the Knicks do opt to make a big move and a position in the starting lineup opens up, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Shamet slot in and continue to grow if this performance on Sunday is a sample of what could come.