Knicks surprisingly sign experienced shooter for last spot on roster

The New York Knicks made a free agency move towards the end of the season to fill their 15 guaranteed roster spots.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPNThe Knicks have signed experienced guard Landry Shamet for one year.

Shamet, 27, averaged 8.7 points per game and made 38 percent of his three-pointers in his career, playing for five teams in six years.

There were rumors earlier this summer that the Knicks were interested in Shamet, but nothing came of it. The Knicks were also reportedly interested in Davis Bertans, which shows that the team was indeed looking for more shooters to add to the roster.

Shamet was a reliable rotation player at almost every stop, although the fact that he was unable to establish himself permanently anywhere suggests that his impact was not as great as his hit rate would suggest.

The move comes as a surprise for several reasons. First, the Knicks' center depth is the main concern on the roster. It seemed like the Knicks might be considering seeking an experienced free agent to replace the position.

It also seemed like the Knicks would enter the season with an open, guaranteed roster spot to give them more flexibility. An open roster spot could allow them to add another player through a trade or give them the flexibility to sign a free agent if they feel their roster is lacking a certain type of player.

According to Bobby Marks of ESPNThe Knicks have two open roster spots for non-guaranteed contracts.

With backups like Miles McBride, Donte DiVincenzo, Cameron Payne and even rookie point guard Tyler Kolek already on the roster, Shamet likely won't start the season in the rotation. However, should any of the Knicks players get injured or Kolek prove not ready for NBA minutes, Shamet could be a good backup position for the Knicks.