Author: Monojit Mandal
Landry Shamet, a 26-year-old point guard who recently joined the Washington Wizards from the Phoenix Suns, suffered a broken toe, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Shamet, a first-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft out of Wichita State, played a crucial role for the Suns last season, appearing in 40 regular season games and 10 NBA playoff games. During his time with the Suns, he showed his versatility, averaging 8.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He demonstrated proficiency at both ends of the court with a field goal percentage of 37.7% and a three-point percentage of 37.7%.
This injury comes at an unfortunate time for Shamet, who was preparing to play in the Wizards’ season opener against the Indiana Pacers. The Wizards underwent significant changes in the off-season, including the trades of Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis, making Shamet’s presence even more crucial to the team’s success in this period.
Shamet has been a valuable addition to any team throughout his five-year NBA career, averaging 8.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists, with a three-point shooting rate of 38.8%. He also made his mark in the post-season, playing in 53 NBA playoff games during his career.
At 1.80m tall, Shamet is known for his ability to shoot accurately, boasting a career three-point shooting percentage of 38.5%. Impressively, he shot over 40% from beyond the arc in four of his five seasons in the NBA, making him a highly sought-after asset in the league.
Despite this setback, there is optimism that he will recover in time for the start of the new season. However, his absence could pose a challenge for the Wizards, who are looking to improve on their performance from the previous round, when they finished 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 35-47 record.