Landry Shamet’s luck ran out quickly. Barely three minutes into Saturday’s matchup against Orlando, he collided with a Wendell Carter Jr. screen, clutched his right arm, and didn’t return to the floor. He subsequently sat out the Nets game, and now Charlotte will have to wait as well, as the team has officially diagnosed it as a shoulder sprain. The latest update: he’s expected to miss approximately four weeks. While not ideal, this is far better than the worst-case scenario of losing him for the entire season had surgery been necessary.

Knicks head coach Mike Brown shared an update on X through New York Basketball, stating, “Anytime you can avoid surgery, at least from my limited experience, that’s a positive. But I still don’t know much about it. I just know he’s got a right shoulder sprain and he’ll be going through a rehab process—whatever that ends up looking like.”

Shamet has experienced this before, which makes this setback particularly frustrating. He injured the same shoulder last year, opted for rehabilitation over surgery, and worked his way back after several months. The drawback? That decision left the shoulder more vulnerable to reinjury, and Saturday’s collision confirmed it.

This time, he’s once again avoiding surgery, which preserves his season but leaves the Knicks even more shorthanded during his rehabilitation. Had he opted for the surgical route, he would be sidelined for the year and potentially fighting to retain his roster spot.

For now, the earliest realistic return date is around December 25, when New York faces Dallas—assuming the same shoulder can withstand the test a second time.

Shamet was quickly emerging as a crucial piece for the Knicks, particularly under Mike Brown, where he evolved from a solid rotation player to a genuine difference-maker.

He was shooting threes at a 42.4% clip, consistently posting double-digit scoring nights, and exploding for an impressive 36 points against the Miami Heat. He even clinched a victory over Dallas with two clutch three-pointers.

Teammates knew how important he’d become. As Karl-Anthony Towns put it, “He’s been playing his a– off… These last couple of weeks, he’s been able to show New York why he’s so valuable. It sucks that that happened.”

Now the Knicks have to figure things out without him, all while already being shorthanded with OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson dealing with their own issues. Brown isn’t panicking, though. “I’m gonna keep preaching: it’s about next-man up,” he told reporters.

And that next man starts with Miles McBride, who stepped into the starting lineup against Brooklyn and gave them nine solid points in 24 minutes after returning from a personal matter.

Alongside McBride, Mikal Bridges is expected to carry a heavier load, too. He knocked down three of five threes and scored 18 against Orlando, then added 16 more versus Brooklyn. But replacing Shamet’s spark won’t be easy.

Landry Shamet’s injury collides with his contract clock

Landry Shamet’s shoulder injury isn’t just a problem on the court; it directly affects his contract. His deal with New York becomes fully guaranteed in early January, right around the time he’s expected to return from rehab. If his shoulder takes longer to heal, the Knicks will have to make a tough call: guarantee his full salary or waive him and try to sign another guard.

Shamet entered training camp on an Exhibit 9 deal, which only counts against the team’s salary if he makes the final roster. Since he did, his contract was converted into a standard non-guaranteed deal. This gives the Knicks the option to waive him before January 10 without owing the full salary.

However, with less than $150,000 remaining before hitting the league’s second-apron limit, New York can’t easily add a replacement mid-season, making Shamet’s recovery timeline a significant factor.

Letting Shamet go now could be a risky move. He’s been one of the best bargains of the offseason, and his Early Bird rights—allowing New York to re-sign him for more than the minimum next summer—will expire if he ends the season with another team.

On a minimum deal, other teams could claim him off waivers, and if that happens, New York might not be able to re-sign him.

What initially appeared to be a minor injury now carries major implications that could shape Shamet’s future with the Knicks.