Landry Shamet's Knicks Exit Now Looks Likely Again After Resurgence

The veteran wing might be playing himself out of New York's future.

Landry Shamet has seemingly turned things around, but that could also mean that his Knicks stint is nearing the end. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Knicks' time to rest continues as they await to see who they'll face in this year's Eastern Conference Finals. The Pistons and Cavaliers are still duking it out in their second-round series, leaving it unclear when the Knicks will return to action. Although the time off is appreciated, the last thing New York wants is to lose momentum after being idle for too long.

With the layoff ongoing, some Knicks fans are using this opportunity to start thinking about the NBA offseason. The 2026 draft and free agency will bring change across the league, and New York isn't an exception. A handful of Knicks will hit the open market this summer, including Landry Shamet.

After two seasons in the Big Apple, Shamet will become an unrestricted free agent in less than two months. Although the Knicks seemingly had a decent chance to re-sign him before, the 29-year-old's recent turnaround might price him out of the franchise's budget.

Landry Shamet's improved play could lead him out of New York

Throughout his career, Shamet has earned a reputation for not being afraid to hustle defensively, while being an offensive sparkplug when needed.

The former Wichita State Shocker's talents were on full display during the 2025-26 regular season, averaging 9.3 points on .437/.392/.711 splits while also adding 0.6 steals per game on 23 minutes of action per night. Knicks head coach Mike Brown even deployed Shamet in end-of-game close-out situations, especially when Mikal Bridges needed a breather or two.

Unfortunately, Shamet wasn't as effective early in the Knicks' postseason. The 6-foot-5 wing struggled against the Hawks and for most of the 76ers series. He averaged a minuscule 1.8 PPG while shooting 27.8% from the floor and 28.6% from deep in the first eight playoff games. He was reduced to garbage-time minutes more often than not, showing that he had lost Brown & Co.'s trust.

Landry Shamet struggled through the majority of the first and second rounds of the Knicks' postseason. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

But with OG Anunoby missing the road games against the 76ers, Shamet had the perfect opportunity to erase any doubts.

It all started in Game 3, when Shamet dropped a postseason-high 15 points in 26:20 off the bench, even adding two offensive rebounds as he hustled all night. The confidence-filled performance led to a 12-point effort in Game 4, as Shamet couldn't be stopped with all of his points coming off 4-of-6 (66.7%) three-point shooting. Whether this momentum continues against the Pistons or Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals remains to be seen.

As disappointing as his early postseason performance was, Shamet's slump could've worked out in the Knicks' favor. It would've been much easier to re-sign him this offseason if his struggles continued and New York had been confident that he could be salvaged. Instead, his improved play makes it likelier that he might command a contract that president Leon Rose and general manager Gersson Rosas can't afford.

Shamet is only earning just over $3 million in cash this season, per Spotrac. Considering how his 30th birthday is next year, he might prioritize getting as much money as possible this summer. His latest postseason performances will help, especially if his foot remains on the gas.

"We did what we needed to do to beat a good Sixers team... but the beauty and the reality of the playoffs is all that changes now going into the next round"

Landry Shamet was asked if the Knicks are playing their best basketball right now: pic.twitter.com/gzr6tyagkt

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 10, 2026

According to Spotrac, the Knicks are projected to be more than $93.7 million over the 2026-27 salary cap, which is the fifth-worst situation in the NBA. They also have only $3.5 million remaining in first-apron space, meaning the Knicks will be limited in the exceptions they can offer and salary aggregation for trades.

In other words, Shamet might need to take another team-friendly deal, or the Knicks will have to free up more cap space to keep him in New York. As great as he is when he's on his game, his slow start to the playoffs could give the Knicks pause regarding a potential return unless the price is right. Otherwise, he'll likely be in another team's jersey come October.

That's why it's important to pay close attention to Landry's ECF performance. If he plays well, Knicks fans might be witnessing his last games with the franchise. However, if his play regresses and he becomes a concern again, they might have him back on an affordable contract.

Either way, Shamet's NBA future will ride on what happens next.