Landry Shamet is running it back with the New York Knicks for the 2025-26 season, and the two-word reaction from his teammate, Josh Hart, says it all. “YEA LAN!” Hart shouted on X after the news dropped, a simple message that captures a decision about more than just a contract. After exploring free agency, Shamet ultimately prioritized loyalty and a strong locker room, returning to a team that just made a deep playoff run.

The hype around Shamet’s return isn’t just about basketball; it’s about vibes. He could’ve gone elsewhere, but he wanted this locker room. As Ian Begley of SNY.tv shared on X, “Landry Shamet had other options but prioritized continuity in returning to the Knicks, a source said. He wanted to return to a locker room he liked and to help NYK compete for a title.” That’s telling. In a league where talent stacks the roster but chemistry wins the banners, Shamet is betting on the glue, not just the glitter.

But here’s where it gets tricky. This same Knicks locker room has been under a microscope all year. Remember January? The team was sliding, and Josh Hart threw down the challenge for his teammates to ditch their “individual agendas.” And more recently, the tension only bubbled louder with talk of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns navigating some friction under new head coach Mike Brown.

As Marcus Thompson bluntly put it, “Because if that happens, it’s because Mike Brown could not stop the erosion of chemistry in that locker room… it finally catches up to them…” So while Shamet’s loyalty screams unity, the big question is whether the Knicks can keep that same energy when the heat turns up. And now Shamet is hoping to chase a title with the Knicks, who came just two wins shy of the Finals last season with a 51-31 record. His journey was anything but smooth.

He opened camp in New York but got waived after a preseason shoulder injury, only to sign back in December and debut the very next day. From there, he carved out a role, averaging 5.7 points and 1.2 rebounds in 15 minutes per game, shooting 46.1% from the field and nearly 40% from deep. The real spark came after the All-Star break, when he turned into a knockdown threat, putting up 7.6 points on 42.5% shooting from three. If that hot streak carries over, Shamet could be the under-the-radar piece New York leans on in another deep run.

Begley also reported that “Shamet and Knicks will agree on a one-year deal. Knicks have enough room for rookie vet minimum under the second apron.” Entering his eighth NBA season, Shamet will earn $3,080,921 in 2025/26, while the Knicks carry a $2,296,274 cap hit, per Hoops Rumors. He now becomes the 13th man under contract, with all three two-way slots still open, including Kevin McCullar Jr.’s restricted spot. With the Knicks hard-capped at the second apron, the expectation is a simple one: Shamet as the vet-minimum pickup, and the 14th man likely coming on a rookie minimum deal.

Landry Shamet’s in; now all eyes on Diawara

Back in July, it looked like the Knicks were basically done with their summer business. They drafted Mohamed Diawara at No. 51, signed Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, and with no blockbuster trades looming, it felt like time to fast-forward to October. But the cap sheet had one wrinkle. Yabusele was initially assumed to take the full taxpayer mid-level exception at $5.685 million, which would’ve hard-capped the Knicks out of adding more depth. Turns out, he actually agreed to $5.5 million instead, shaving off $185,000 — a quiet but clever move orchestrated by cap guru Brock Aller.

That small bit of wiggle room gave the Knicks a chance to sneak in more veteran talent. Enter Landry Shamet. His deal counts for about $2.3 million against the cap, leaving the Knicks with roughly $1.4 million to fill their 14th roster spot. The math matters here: that amount isn’t enough to sign anyone with more than a year’s NBA experience, not even Kevin McCullar Jr., whose two-way last season still counts as one year of service. So, unless a trade clears up more space, the Knicks are boxed into handing that slot to a rookie minimum deal, which slides in just under $1.3 million.

That’s where Mohamed Diawara comes back into the picture. At 6’9” and just 20 years old, he’s drawn early OG Anunoby comparisons for his defensive versatility, showing he can hang with wings and even quicker guards during Summer League. Offensively, he’s raw — the jumper isn’t there, but he has feel in transition, cuts well, and can handle the ball in spurts. With Mike Brown calling the shots and Karl-Anthony Towns stretching the floor at the five, Diawara’s limited but useful skill set has a clear role. The Knicks need wings, and outside of Anunoby, Bridges, and Hart, it’s slim pickings. Pacome Dadiet isn’t ready yet, so rolling with Diawara feels less like a gamble and more like the logical move.