Knicks waive three, including Landry Shamet, ahead of opener

Shamet’s shoulder injury earlier this week took him from a likely rotation spot to off the Knicks’ roster… for now.

In the aftermath of the blockbuster Karl-Anthony Towns trade on the eve of training camp, the reality of the Knicks’ roster situation was that they would only be able to roster one of the veterans they brought in on Exhibit 9/10 deals. One of them, Marcus Morris Sr., opted not to return following his release to facilitate the trade. Landry Shamet was the only one of the three non-guaranteed vets to keep his roster spot after the trade and report after report suggested that Shamet was a shoo-in to make the roster.

Until he wasn’t.

The shoulder injury sustained against the Hornets on Tuesday threw a wrench in the Knicks’ plans. After being diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder, the Knicks opted to release Shamet to save as much money as possible underneath the second apron. According to Ian Begley, Shamet will receive a $15,000 injury guarantee and the Knicks do have interest in bringing Shamet back when he is healthy later in the season.

Shamet, who spent last year with the Wizards, averaged 10.8 points per game in four preseason games, shooting 35.7% from the field and 30% from 3.

Two other veterans on Exhibit 10 deals were released after longshot odds to make the roster.

T.J. Warren was signed by the Knicks after the KAT trade to fill out their training camp roster on October 3rd. The former Sun, Pacer, Net, and Timberwolf is best known for his generational performance in the bubble but has played just 57 games in the four years since due to multiple debilitating injuries. In three games, Warren played 28 minutes, scoring 17 points and grabbing eight rebounds while shooting 5-for-8 from the field. Begley has indicated that we may not have seen the last of Warren, who will join the Westchester Knicks and potentially be called up at some point this season.

Chuma Okeke, a former first-round pick by the Orlando Magic, appeared in three preseason games. He played 17 minutes and had one point, one assist, and one steal, missing both shots he attempted from the field. Where Okeke goes from here is unknown.

The Knicks only have 12 players on standard contracts, two below the minimum required. NBA rules state that the team is allowed to be under 14 for a grand total of 28 days throughout the regular season and a max of 14 days at a time. What you’ll likely see until Shamet is healthy is a converted two-way (Hukporti?) and occasional 10-day contracts, which may be why T.J. Warren is around. Keep an eye on the waiver market, as well.