Two Knicks Veterans Warranting Playoff Minutes

The New York Knicks may want to consider opening up their playoff rotation.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro brings the ball up court against New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet during the second half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks are getting ready for the postseason, which means head coach Tom Thibodeau is going to shrink the rotation, limiting it to about seven or eight players.

Those expected to be in the rotation are Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns, Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson. However, there is reason to believe that there could be one or two more players warranting consideration for playing time in the playoffs.

Bleacher Report writer Dan Favale builds the case to have either Landry Shamet or Delon Wright in the postseason rotation for the Knicks.

"Gauging the authenticity of recent performances from Landry Shamet and Delon Wright is tough. Post-All-Star-break basketball can be less than telltale—and that's putting it charitably," Favale writes.

"Still, the Knicks have needed to lean on both more frequently amid injuries to Jalen Brunson, Deuce McBride and Cameron Payne. Their returns in higher-profile roles are encouraging.

"Wright brings positional size and an under-the-radar meld of physicality and aggression in pick-and-roll coverages. His case gets stronger if his (modest) number of three-point attempts continue to fall with gaga accuracy (45.5 percent).

"Shamet is perhaps the better bet because he arms New York's offense with a true let-'em-rip marksman. His 7.3 long-ball attempts per 36 minutes since the All-Star break are second among Knicks rotation players, trailing only Payne's 7.9, and he's knocking them down at a 40 percent clip."

Their inclusion in the rotation will be determined by how healthy Brunson and McBride are. Both guards have been out for the past few weeks with their respective injuries, so if they don't heal in time, they could find themselves needing to fill in those gaps.

Shamet, Wright and the Knicks are set to play the Atlanta Hawks tomorrow at 3 p.m. ET.

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