Landry Shamet’s opening night line in the Knicks’ 106-100 loss to Philadelphia was not the kind that jumps off the page: five points, 2-for-7 shooting, 1-for-4 from deep and missed free throws. On paper, that can make a bigger role look shaky in a hurry.
But the box score only tells part of the story. Shamet also handed out four assists in 24:32, along with two turnovers, and that passing gave his night more value than the scoring total suggests.
Mike Brown clearly trusted Shamet more than Miles McBride, who played 13:30, or Jordan Clarkson, who logged 8:29. That alone doesn’t lock in a rotation hierarchy, but it does give the Knicks something real to evaluate instead of treating every reserve guard like he’s doing the same job.
Shamet is not suddenly a replacement point guard because he had four assists. Still, those passes point to a useful role as a connector - someone who can swing the ball after a closeout, extend a possession, and avoid sending everything right back to Jalen Brunson. That kind of value can exist even when the jumper isn’t falling.
The Knicks do still need his shooting. A guard doesn’t stay on the floor forever just because the next shot might go in, and that becomes harder to justify if the misses stretch on for weeks. But one night and seven field-goal attempts aren’t enough to declare that the shot has vanished.
The smarter move is to let the next few games tell the story. How often does Shamet move the defense with an extra pass?
Does he take the open look instead of turning it into a tougher one? Can the lineup defend well enough to keep the offensive upside on the court?
The assist total by itself doesn’t settle any of that.
McBride remains a legitimate option when Brown wants another guard in the mix, and Clarkson brings a different scoring shape. There’s no rule saying Shamet should get 25 minutes no matter what the matchup or the performance looks like.
But pulling back now would mean letting a tiny shooting sample make the call before the Knicks have learned much at all. The more useful test is whether Shamet’s passing and shooting can live together.
In Other News...
Knicks Opener Put One Early Rotation Battle In The Spotlight
The Knicks season opener against Philadelphia did more than leave them with an early loss. It also offered a first look at how the back end of the rotation might shake out, and one of the clearest questions coming out of the night centered on Miles McBride. After an uneven offensive showing and a reduced workload, his role is already worth watching as the staff sorts through how many minutes are actually available behind the main pieces.
There are a few other roster wrinkles worth keeping in mind, too. James Wiseman did not play, but the current state of the backup center spot could still create an opening for him if the Knicks decide they need another look there, while Tyler Koleks path to a larger role looks crowded after veteran Jose Alvarado held up well. It is still early, of course, but the opener gave New York a reminder that some of its most interesting decisions this fall may not involve the headline names at all. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Young Core Just Got A Timely Boost From A Familiar Name
Dink Pates path back into the pro game turned quickly after the 2025 NBA Draft left him undrafted and initially headed to Providence College to preserve his NCAA eligibility. Once he was ruled ineligible for college basketball, he landed with the Knicks G-League affiliate on an Exhibit 10 contract, giving New York a familiar young name back in the organization and another developmental piece to track.
For a team trying to build a deeper young core while working around limited draft assets and roster pressure, the move carries some real value. The Knicks have been looking for every chance to add talent to the pipeline, and Pates return gives them a player they already know well enough to slot into that broader development plan. [Read more 🡒]
Andre Drummond Buzz Is Giving Heat Fans Plenty To Talk About
Andre Drummonds season opener against his former team gave the Knicks a familiar reminder of what he can still do on the glass. He finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds, a solid showing in a game that naturally carried a little extra edge for both sides given his past in New York.
After the game, though, the chatter moved well beyond the box score. A social media account sparked plenty of reaction by alleging Drummond is dating fitness influencer Sophia Zeilstra, and the post quickly caught fire among fans. There has been no verified or public confirmation of that relationship, but the rumor has already become part of the conversation around a night that was supposed to be about basketball. [Read more 🡒]