The Washington Wizards will not pick up veteran combo guard Landry Shamet's $11 million non-guaranteed contract for the 2024-25 NBA season, making him an unrestricted free agent, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The 6-foot-4 veteran will now be able to pick his next team, but he will certainly be hard-pressed to make anywhere near that $11 million this coming season.
Shamet, 27, had inked a four-season, $42.5 million, four-year contract extension while with the Phoenix Suns in 2022, but only the first two years and $19.75 million of that contract were fully guaranteed.
Now, he'll number among the best options at shooting guard still available. Will he be able to fetch anything beyond a veteran's minimum contract? Probably not.
Last year, Shamet logged a career-worst 7.1 points on .431/.338/.556 shooting splits, 1.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 0.5 steals a game. He appeared in just 46 contests, starting five, notching 15.8 minutes per night.
Across his six pro seasons thus far, the Wichita State product has posted career averages of 8.7 points on a .408/.384/.840 slash line, 1.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.5 swipes a night, in 348 career regular season games (97 starts).
After being named a First-Team All-MVC pick with Wichita State in 2017 and a First-Team All-AAC honoree in 2018, Shamet was selected with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, and split an All-Rookie Second Team debut season between the Philadelphia 76ers and the L.A. Clippers. Philadelphia had flipped him to the Clippers in February of that season, in exchange for along with veteran combo forward Wilson Chandler, center Mike Muscala, a pair of first round draft picks and two second rounders, in exchange for star forward Tobias Harris, center Boban Marjanovic and forward Mike Scott.
Shamet lasted for just over a season and change in L.A., before he was on the move again, this time to the Brooklyn Nets as part of a three-team deal that landed sharpshooting wing Luke Kennard with the Clippers.
Ahead of the ensuing 2021-22 season, Shamet was flipped to the Phoenix Suns, with 3-and-D point guard Jevon Carter and the draft rights for big man Day'Ron Sharpe.
Despite a solid playoff performance for Phoenix in the Western Conference semifinals, Lamet was then traded again, to the lowly Wizards, during the 2023 offseason, to help facilitate an epic deal. Shamet was a throw-in, along with 12-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul, four first round draft pick swaps and six second rounders. In return, the Suns received former three-time All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal, Jordan Goodwin, and Isaiah Todd from Washington.
Now, for the first time ever, Shamet will be able to pick his own next NBA destination.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Newsweek contributing writer Alex Kirschenbaum is a hoops fanatic who has managed to parlay his passion into a writing career. ... Read more
