While all of the big name NBA free agents have long been signed, a few solid role players remain on the market just five weeks before the season tips off. Up until a few days ago, Landry Shamet and Marcus Morris were two such players. Both valuable offensive pieces but on the older side, the pair of veterans spent most of their summer biding their time, fielding what few offers came their way, and evaluating what was best for the future of their careers. And within a couple days of each other, both Shamet and Morris decided that signing with the New York Knicks was the right move for them.

News of the Shamet deal first broke on September 14th, when ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the 27 year-old shooting guard was signing a one year, Exhibit 9 (non-guaranteed) contract with New York. Having last appeared for the Washington Wizards this past year, Shamet enters the Knick locker room with a career average of 8.7 points per game, and 38.4% from three point territory. He has played for five teams in his six years of NBA competition, and has appeared in 53 playoff games. 

It feels like Landry Shamet has been around the league longer than he actually has, but he still brings a wealth of experience to a Knicks squad that is still relatively young. At times, he has been viewed as one of the best three point shooters in the entire NBA. Other times, people have seen him as nothing more than a one-dimensional offensive player who is a liability on defense. Certainly, Shamet is nothing to write home about athletically. However, shooting threes at an effective clip is a valuable skill to bring to a modern day NBA team, and as long as Shamet can keep doing that, he will likely continue to have a role on contenders. His hot hand and veteran leadership could prove to be a difference maker in the Knick’s push for a championship this year.

Just a day after Landry Shamet was announced, it was also revealed that Marcus Morris would be heading to Madison Square Garden for the 2024-25 season. Much like Shamet, the 35 year-old forward inked a one year, non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract with New York. For Morris, this deal marks a return to the Knicks, as he previously played for the team during the 2019-20 NBA season. His 43 games in orange and blue that year saw him average 19.6 points per game, along with 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He was arguably the Knick’s best offensive player during that stretch, but the front office opted to trade Morris midseason to the Los Angeles Clippers, where he would go on to enjoy moderate success for the next few years.

Morris will likely be in direct competition with Shamet for the final available roster spot in New York. Even at age 35, Morris still brings solid shooting, shot creation, and physicality. According to Knicks beat writer Ian Begley, the Knicks see him as a stretch 4 or even a stretch 5, something the team has lacked in recent years. Morris didn’t see significant minutes on the 76ers or Cavaliers last year, and he likely won’t be a huge part of the Knicks rotation either. But, provided the veteran forward makes the team, he could hear his name called in important situations. Should the guys ahead of him get injured or fall victim to foul trouble, coach Tom Thibodeau could look to Morris to provide a spark off the bench. 

Overall, neither Landry Shamet nor Marcus Morris will likely be key difference makers for the Knicks this year. There’s a chance that one of them might not even make the team. But New York’s front office didn’t sign them to be game changers. Morris and Shamet were signed to add veteran presences to the locker room, provide insurance in case of injuries, and bring proven, dependable skill sets to a team trying to win a championship. It takes a full roster to contend for an NBA title, and even the 15th man has a role to play. By bringing in Shamet and Morris, the Knicks add just a little more firepower to an already potent squad. Will either of these signings set the world on fire? No, they won’t. But when the time comes that Tom Thibodeau looks down towards the end of his bench needing someone to play a few solid minutes and make a couple of shots, he’ll be glad to see Morris and Shamet sitting there.