Barely five minutes into the New York Knicks’ loss to the Golden State Warriors, Mike Brown subbed out Mikal Bridges, and put in Landry Shamet, who was making his first appearance in nearly two months after suffering a right shoulder injury just before Thanksgiving. The decision may have been offhanded in real time, but it sends a series of messages, the most important of which is directed at the front office: Shamet is too important to this team.
This statement covers a vast array of bases. First and foremost, it is a testament to the highway-robbery of a bargain that Shamet has become.