The Philadelphia 76ers, being one of the 28 idle parties in the NBA with the Finals slowly reaching its most climactic point, are probably already preoccupied by their preparations for the coming offseason. Having said that, they might actually have some real interest in the tightly contested series between the Knicks and the Spurs in the form of Landry Shamet, whose fate this summer will be interesting to watch unfold.
Shamet, who has broken out in the Finals so far with all guns blazing, has become one of the best feel-good stories in the playoffs. From zero to hero, he has rewarded New York with steady shooting and reliable perimeter defense off the bench, and he is a huge reason why they are currently up 2-1 over San Antonio. But for the 76ers, how the Knicks front office decides to deal with him will be worth monitoring.
As NBA insider Marc Stein noted in his latest post (subscription required), other teams are already starting to zoom in on Shamet as a potential addition to their respective squads in free agency. That puts the pressure on the Knicks to keep him, but that is far easier said than done given the limitations of how much they can offer to the sharpshooter.
The 76ers could plan to steal Landry Shamet from the Knicks in free agency
The only consolation for the Knicks brain trust is that they do own Shamet's Early Bird rights, meaning that they can go over the cap and offer him a new contract that starts at 105 percent of the league's average salary if need be. Be that as it may, money talks in the open market, and as Stein noted, New York will not be on an island on the Shamet bidding war.
The 76ers, supposing they miss out on re-signing Quentin Grimes, should certainly make a play to reunite with Shamet, whom they actually drafted back in 2018. While there is not a lot of connection there, that is still a valuable starting point for a possible partnership, and even better, Philly has a definite role tailor-made for him.
Philadelphia is in dire need of three-point shooting and perimeter defense –– precisely the two things Shamet has been able to provide for the Knicks, especially in the playoffs. That makes it very easy to envision him blending well with this group.
As long as the 76ers are willing to pay up, someone like Landry Shamet should be well within their reach. Otherwise, their cheap tendencies will be their own demise. Hopefully, the front office (and the ownership) can grow some balls this offseason and take some appropriate risks, such as pursuing a reunion with the Finals breakout star.
