COACH MIKE BROWN UTILIZES KNICKS' DEPTH DURING LANDRY SHAMET’S INJURY RECOVERY
Landry Shamet has resumed full basketball activities! Read the latest on his shoulder recovery and the Knicks' New Orleans road trip.
The NBA trade rumour mill is heating up, and word is the Knicks are sniffing around for a defensive-minded guard, especially with the recent injury updates.
The Knicks are hitting the road, heading to New Orleans to play the Pelicans in the Smoothie King Centre. The starting lineup is still up in the air, but there's some good news coming from behind the scenes that could help the team long term.
Even though the Knicks are dealing with some guys out for the short term, one name fans know is making progress as the season hits its stride.
Good News on Key Guard's Recovery
SNY's Ian Begley says Landry Shamet is back to doing full basketball drills as he recovers from his shoulder injury.
Begley said Shamet is now getting ready to start practising with contact, which is a big step. From the start, the team thought Shamet would make a full recovery without needing surgery, and that's still the plan.
If all goes well, Shamet should be back sometime next month.
The Knicks haven't set a date for his return, but this update makes it sound like he's getting better consistently.
Landry Shamet (shoulder) is now doing all basketball activities, but he still needs to be cleared for contact. @IanBegley reports he could be back next month.
Why This Matters for the Knicks
Shamet's been out, and while it hasn't been a huge story, it's changed how the Knicks put their lineups together.
Before he got hurt, Shamet had earned Coach Mike Brown's trust early on. He started a few games and played almost 21 minutes a night in his first 15 games. He was a reliable shooter, stayed calm under pressure, and understood spacing, which helped the lineups flow.
Since then, other injuries have forced the Knicks to go deeper into their bench. Instead of sticking with a tight rotation, Brown has been flexible, letting younger guys step up and take on important roles.
This changes things when Shamet gets back. Instead of being needed right away, he can come back as another option—a seasoned guard who fits in without messing things up.
I'm curious to see how the rotations will work once Deuce and Shamet are back.
Knicks' Depth Is Now a Strength
One good thing that's happened for the Knicks this season is how they've handled tough times.
Instead of running Jalen Brunson into the ground, the Knicks have spread the responsibilities around, trusting younger players like Tyler Kolek and Kevin McCullar. This has helped keep the bench players steady and the team consistent, even though the lineups change a lot.
When Shamet comes back, he'll be another useful player on a team that's already shown it can adjust on the fly.
The Final Word for the Knicks
The Knicks are trying to win their third game in a row in New Orleans.
They'll have to do it without Shamet for now, but since he's getting closer to being cleared, the Knicks are getting ready to add another good player in 2026.
This kind of progress is important for a team that's been relying on depth and being able to adapt.
For now, the road trip goes on. The lineup keeps changing. And the Knicks keep finding ways to stay on track.
RAIDERS PLACE RECEIVER JUSTIN SHORTER ON IR; SIGN HOOSIERS STAR BRADY
With Justin Shorter on IR, discover how new signing Jonathan Brady fits into the Raiders' wide receiver youth movement for 2026.
The Raiders aren’t sitting still; rookie minicamp just started, and they're already shuffling the roster. Right now, some veteran players are basically on borrowed time as the team leans hard into getting younger.
Take Justin Shorter. He’s been in Vegas since 2024 but hasn’t caught a pass in an actual NFL game. Well, his spot just got even more shaky. The Raiders put him on the Reserve/Injured list, which, let’s be real, is never a good sign this early in the offseason. Usually, that sort of move means a buyout could be next so he can test free agency.
There’s a steady influx of young receivers competing for spots, so it’s tough to see Shorter making his way back, even if he heals up. To fill his spot, the team signed Jonathan Brady, a receiver out of Indiana.
Nobody’s really sure what kind of injury Shorter has. If it’s serious, maybe he sticks around and rehabs with the team. If not, we might see him try his luck somewhere else.
As for the Raiders’ wide receiver group, the youth movement is real. Wide receiver was a big need heading into the offseason, but they didn’t do much outside of signing Jalen Nailor and drafting Malik Benson in the sixth round.
Vincent Bonsignore from the California Post pointed out that the Raiders might still look to add more receivers if the current group doesn’t step up. He basically said that the early rounds of the draft went to bigger needs, and now guys like Bech and Thornton Jr. have a chance to prove the team doesn’t have to keep looking elsewhere. But don’t expect the Raiders to hesitate if things look shaky.
Now, about that passing game, it was rough last season. The Raiders finished in the bottom five. But with Klint Kubiak calling plays and Fernando Mendoza hopefully taking over for Geno Smith, things honestly should get better. If Kirk Cousins ends up starting, he’s probably an upgrade, too. And bringing in Tyler Linderbaum at centre will only help.
Chances are, the Raiders will use an early pick on a receiver in next year’s draft. Even though they have a rookie quarterback waiting in the wings, they didn’t spend big at receiver this offseason. Maybe that’s because they don’t expect him to start right away. Who knows. For now, the wide receiver group looks decent enough to get by.
NFL EXECUTIVE NAMES COLE PAYTON HIS "NO. 2 QUARTERBACK" IN THE 2026 CLASS
From 94.6 PFF grades to 4.56 speed, Cole Payton is the Eagles' latest QB project. Analysing his path to the NFL depth chart.
Cole Payton, who played quarterback at North Dakota State, might end up making a bigger splash as a fifth-round pick than people expect.
He’s not just another late-round flyer, either. An NFL executive recently told insider J.L. Canfora that Payton has real upside. The Eagles have done something similar before, so this isn't coming out of nowhere.
Remember Carson Wentz? Philly grabbed him with the second overall pick back in 2016, but Jalen Hurts ended up taking over. Now, some people around the league think history might repeat itself with Payton possibly replacing Hurts down the road.
The executive went all in on Payton: “You know, I believe in that kid. That was my No. 2 quarterback in the draft. And Howie [Roseman] takes him? Come on. He sees it too. Cole Payton, if you bring him along the right way, can start in this league.”
Roseman, the guy in Philly’s front office, was a big part of the Wentz pick. He’s seen his fair share of quarterback changes over the years, and honestly, that might matter this time, too.
The executive didn’t hold back: “All the stuff you hear about Hurts, all the drama and where he is in his contract." You can call me crazy, but I think this kid could take over from him in a few years. They did this with [Kevin] Kolb, even when [Donovan] McNabb was still there. I know how Howie thinks. This kid has a chance.”
Payton had to wait for his turn at NDSU.
Payton rolled into North Dakota State in 2021, known as a strong recruit for an FCS quarterback, straight out of Omaha.
He was supposed to be the next big thing, just like the string of successful Bison quarterbacks before him. But things didn’t break that way at first. Cam Miller, the QB ahead of him, kept stacking up wins and making a name for himself in Fargo.
Miller even beat out Quincy Patterson II, a gifted dual-threat quarterback who transferred in from Virginia Tech. After Patterson got banged up in 2021, Miller took over, steered the team to a national championship, and then hung on to the starting job through 2024.
Patterson left for Temple, so Payton slid into the Bison’s running packages in a spot that Patterson had filled before. And Payton did more than just fill that role. In 2022, he ran for 284 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries. By the next year, he really took off: 615 yards and 13 touchdowns on 84 carries.
Setback, then a breakout
Payton started 2024 looking like the same kind of threat on the ground, but a shoulder injury cut his season short. He only managed 164 rushing yards and a score on 21 carries before he went down.
Finally, in 2025, his shot as the full-time starter arrived after Miller left for the NFL draft, drafted by the Raiders in the sixth round. Payton made the most of it. He led NDSU to an unbeaten 12-0 regular season, completing 70% of his passes for 2,719 yards, with 16 touchdowns and just four picks. And he still ran wild, with 777 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 136 carries.
Now, he’s got a fresh chance in Philadelphia. If you ask people around the league, he’s not just there to hold a clipboard. They're watching to see what happens next.
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