Knicks Built a Savvy Escape Plan into Landry Shamet's New Contract

The Knicks hanging on to Landry Shamet is undoubtedly a huge win for the team. New York now has a bench option who proved he can change entire playoff games under contract for the next several years at a below-market rate.

However, Shamet is far from a perfect player. Though he was a postseason standout at times, he also had his fair share of struggles. While fans may remember the highs more than the lows, it appears the Knicks aren't ignoring Shamet's potential pitfalls, as evidenced by the final details of his new deal.

Knicks give themselves a way to break up with Landry Shamet despite re-signing

According to The Athletic's Fred Katz, the Knicks made the final two years of Shamet's pact only partially guaranteed. In fact, only about a quarter of his total $12.8 million salary for those seasons is guaranteed.

The final 2 years of Landry Shamet's 4-year deal with Knicks are partially guaranteed, league source tells @TheAthletic. In Year 3, $1.6M of his $6.2M salary is guaranteed. In Year 4, $1.7M of his $6.6M salary is GTD. He has a player option in Year 4, as @IanBegley reported.
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) July 7, 2026

This arrangement is a bit odd. If the Knicks really coveted him, it's logical to think they'd fully guarantee an already-cheap deal. And for Shamet, he gave up another concession (aside from overall dollars) that leaves his future a bit unsettled, especially since he could've easily received long-term security from another team.

One reason could be that Shamet's market wasn't actually as strong as many figured post-Finals, but it's hard to believe he truly couldn't get a better offer from at least one team.

Instead, this appears to be the Knicks giving themselves a backdoor exit in case Shamet doesn't live up to his postseason showing.

Though this deal is unexpectedly even more team-friendly than first thought, New York has reasons to protect itself with this investment. After all, Shamet is just one season removed from a dud in 2024-25 and has been plagued by a lingering shoulder injury for two straight years.

That's not even to mention the fact that he sometimes went missing for the Knicks in the playoffs. While Shamet caught fire in the middle of the title run, it was preceded by an ugly first round against the Hawks that saw him get demoted. After his scorching run, Shamet also cooled off in the Finals, finishing with just eight total points over the last three games.

Landry Shamet in Game 3 as Knicks fall behind in series 2-1 with Game 4 in Atlanta Saturday:

3 minutes
0 shots
0 stats pic.twitter.com/7P4K3V7GiS
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 24, 2026

As a result, it's possible New York had some reservations about handing Shamet a handsome deal. There's a chance his up-and-down nature becomes even more frustrating in the future with the heightened pressure that comes with trying to defend a title. Then the Knicks would be stuck paying a vet who cashed in off of a few big moments, rather than assessing the full picture.

By being this stingy in talks, though, New York has only helped its future self.

Shamet very well could play out the entire four years of his new deal and be paraded as a steal of a signing every offseason. But on the off chance his play declines, injuries catch up to him, or his playoffs prove to be a mirage, the team can clear nearly $10 million off its books with zero repercussions.

This positions him as a zero-consequence cut in the future, or makes him more palatable for another franchise to acquire in trade, given how much control he's allowing whichever team is paying his contract.

With the second apron appearing like a no-go for James Dolan and a core to retain or reshape in the coming years, having an easy way to shed significant dollars is massive for the Knicks. This makes the Shamet deal a true stroke of genius for a front office that knows it needs flexibility with a strict spending limit.

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