In a year the Knicks desperately needed to see one of their depth pieces emerge as a legitimate contributor, it hasn’t been the returning prospects or all of the headline offseason acquisitions that impressed early on. 

Instead, it’s been Landry Shamet, the definition of an NBA vagabond that was on the cusp of not returning to New York this season.

He’s since gone from the end of the bench to starting five games, shooting 42.4 percent from three and coming up with key performances in meaningful wins. Let’s look back on his impressive journey and what he’s done to lift the Knicks this season.

Shamet originally joined the Knicks during last season’s training camp and got rave reviews, leading to a locked-in preseason rotation role that was unfortunately cut short due to a shoulder injury. New York, believing in the talent and work ethic, waived Shamet but allowed him to rehab with their G-League affiliate in Westchester. 

It took a few months and a couple appearances at the developmental level before the Knicks called Shamet back up around Christmas. His first games back were rough though, as he was still finding his rhythm back.

Shamet played 19 games through early February through sporadic minutes and a sub-30 percent stroke from three, but something changed that month. He rediscovered his stroke and defensive intensity, hitting 42.4 percent of his threes down the final 31 games of the season, earning over 18 minutes a night. 

Oddly, his minutes evaporated in the playoffs after a 10-minute stint in their opening game. He’d see decreasing spot minutes against the Pistons before racking up DNP’s all the way until the Conference Finals. 

With the Knicks down 0-2 going back to Indiana, Shamet found some burn and brought much-needed energy and shooting off the bench for the remainder of the series, including a 12-point outburst in the pivotal Game 6. His series performance earned him a lot of fans, and perhaps ultimately the final roster spot he secured with the team this summer.

That decision, along with new head coach Mike Brown’s strong trust in him, are paying major dividends now. Shamet’s averaging 9.9 points on 42.4 percent shooting from three, playing seven more minutes a night last year but only four more than his post-rust stretch.

Perhaps the biggest surprise statistically has been New York’s resilience defensively with him on the court. Opponents have worse efficiency when Shamet plays, and while he can struggle contesting one-on-one due to his size, his effort, low-risk approach and positioning are there.

Offensively, Shamet is rightfully known for his shooting, but he’s not just hitting a bunch of catch-and-shoots from the corner. 43.8 percent of his pull-up threes are dropping, some even off pick-and-roll, and he’s one of the team’s better shooters from outside the corners.

He’s given Jalen Brunson some reprieve as a ball-handler and has shown recent glimpses of his mid-range and finishing games as well, the highlight being a two-handed flush all over Miami’s Kel’el Ware. He was a monster in that Heat game, putting up a career-high 36 points (30 in the second half!) on 6 of 12 shooting from three.

A few nights later, Shamet would play heroic again, hitting two threes in the final minute of the game to give his team the lead before sealing the game in the final seconds with a drawn offensive foul. It’s tough not to credit Shamet heavily for two of New York’s nine wins this early season, a major payoff for Brown’s trust in him. 

Fans are hoping this continues. Most contenders get thin deeper into their bench, and New York is no exception. 

Having Shamet step up on his second veteran’s minimum deal for this team is not only crucial for their championship hunt, but a gritty and awesome New York story to get behind.