Landry Shamet is finally getting Knicks minutes after being sidelined by injury in the preseason

Landry Shamet was expected to bolster the Knicks’ strength this season, and he ended up on the team’s bench and in uniform after recovering from a gruesome shoulder injury suffered late in the preseason .

Shamet was officially signed and was active for Monday’s 139-125 win over the Raptors at the Garden. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said the six-year NBA veteran was not expected to need another start-up period after playing a few games in the G League with Westchester, although he checked in with less than 90 seconds left on Monday.

“Not really. “It was more to see where he’s at in terms of getting him some games,” Thibodeau said before the win. “Being at games is a lot different than being at practice.

“Just getting that, making sure everything was good, seeing how he felt the next day, that was part of the rehab. But we thought he had a great training camp. Unfortunately he was injured in the last game.”

Shamet made his only shot in his debut.

“I was so excited today, man, I’ve been chewing on that play for a while,” Shamet said. “It just felt good to be back in the building, getting dressed, being with the guys, working out a game plan and being a teammate. I’m just grateful that I felt good coming into the game at the end and kind of saw the first one come into the game.”

The 27-year-old Shamet was on a non-guaranteed deal with the Knicks in training camp but was apparently close to earning a roster spot — and likely a spot in Thibodeau’s rotation — when he suffered a shoulder injury on Oct. 15 against the Knicks the hornets.

Thibodeau has largely leaned on his starting lineup – with Mikal Bridges leading the league with 38.5 minutes played per game – but Shamet expects him to join a backup team consisting primarily of Miles McBride, Cam Payne and Precious Achiuwa, Jericho Sims also sees the situation.

Thibodeau doesn’t think it will take Shamet long to keep up with the Knicks, who have won nine of their last 11 games to improve to 19-10 this season.

In addition to spending camp with the team, Shamet was teammates with Bridges and Payne on the Suns during the 2021-22 season.

“I think this is a big deal,” Thibodeau said. “I think Cam and Mikal, along with Landry, were part of a Phoenix team that made it deep into the playoffs. I think that’s a plus too.”

The 6-foot-2 Shamet, who signed a one-year contract to replace winger Matt Ryan on the Knicks roster, underwent surgery to return to play this season. The Wichita State product gives the Knicks another outside weapon, shooting 38.4 percent from 3-point range and averaging 8.7 points in 348 career games with the Sixers, Clippers, Nets, Suns and Wizards .

In four preseason games for the Knicks, Shamet scored 10.8 points in 22 minutes per game.

Now Shamet is just happy that he can contribute to the team.

“I am a firm believer that things and circumstances happen for a reason, and you may not understand why at the moment, but there is an advantage, a silver lining in every situation,” Shamet said of his injury. “So it was another test of that belief. It really tested me in that belief, and in that respect it was good practice.

“Rehab is always a rollercoaster, good days, bad days, but all in all it’s still nine weeks away and I feel really good and really grateful and happy to be back in this position with this group.”