Landry Shamet Is Making a Strong Case to Stay in the Knicks' Starting Lineup

The New York Knicks are winners of six of their last seven games after starting 0-3 and many rushing to declare code red. Head coach Mike Brown's group is starting to resemble the well-oiled machine they were in the spring.

The return to form has coincided with a soft spot in the schedule and somewhat of an absence from Josh Hart, who’s missed the last three games with knee soreness and illness. The team has thrived with Landry Shamet in the starting lineup and Brown constantly speaks highly of him.

“Landry is phenomenal to have as a starter because he's a two-way player," Brown told the media prior to the team's 117-85 demolition of Milwaukee (h/t Alder Almo).

Mike Brown says Josh Hart is out tonight, Landry Shamet will continue to start.

“Landry is phenomenal to have as a starter because he's a two-way player.” pic.twitter.com/7NMQbZkHRF
— alder almo (@alderalmo) November 10, 2026

Shamet has been a force on both ends of the floor

Over the last four games, the journeyman sharpshooter is averaging 12.7 points and knocking down 42.1% of his three-pointerss on 6.3 attempts. The team was 25-0, including the playoffs, in games where Shamet shot 50% or better from long range. He's also showing how he's turned himself into more than an average-to-above-average defender.

Brown said their tracking data shows that "Shamet has been the best front-end pick-and-roll defender so far this season," per The Athletic's James Edwards. During the playoffs, the 29-year old's defensive 2-Point Percentage (D2PT%) of 38.1% ranked first among players with at least 60 D2PA.

Mike Brown said their tracking data shows that Landry Shamet has been the best front end pick-and-roll defender so far this season.
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) November 10, 2026

The idea of keeping Shamet with the starters once Hart returns, or at the very least giving him more time with that unit, is not a knock on the team's heart and soul. The Knicks don’t need less of Hart; there are just possible benefits to having him in a different role.

The numbers haven't always suggested that Brown should give Shamet more run with the starters in Hart's place. But if you want someone to guard at the point of attack and launch three-pointers at a high clip, the former Wisconsin Badger has proven to be the guy.

During the 2025-26 regular season, Shamet only saw 119 minutes when swapped for Hart with the big dogs, per NBA.com. Despite a poor -0.6 net rating, that lineup smashed in the playoffs to a tune of an offensive rating of 137.8 and a defensive mark of 70.6 – a whopping +67.2 net rating.

Meanwhile, the typical group saw time in 43 games and 541 minutes during the regular season, where they had a 115.0 offensive rating and 112.8 defensive rating—good for a total +2.3 net rating. In 263 playoff minutes as a unit, they posted a much more effective +12.5 net rating.

Knicks' starting five has long been a polarizing topic

Despite nerve damage in his shooting hand, Hart shot a very respectable 41.3% from 3 on 3.7 attempts per game. But his hesitancy on the perimeter makes for a less clean operation. The 6-foot-5 Swiss Army knife's role shouldn't be determined by politics or ego.

It just so happens that the Knicks' most-used lineup during the early going is the long-maligned championship five. In albeit a very small sample size, the group has a -9.5 net rating in 95 minutes. Almost all the other lineup combos significantly outperform the starters.

There have been more than enough games over the past few years where that group digs a hole that other lineups need to dig out of. It's not outlandish to think that Brown isn't far away from inserting Shamet full-time for either Hart or the struggling Mikal Bridges.

Brown's willingness to experiment with different lineups, systems and rotations is his calling card. It's part of building chemistry, experimenting and maximizing health. His players value the trust it shows in them.

Brown has a tough decision on his hands and it's as good of an issue as there is to have.

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