Knicks’ sharpshooter emerging as a strong candidate to crack final roster

Justin Backer

Knicks’ sharpshooter emerging as a strong candidate to crack final roster image

New York Knicks forward Garrison Mathews could be playing his way into a roster spot with the Knicks for this upcoming season.

New York only has a couple of spots they can fill to complete their roster. Initially, Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet were assumed to take those two spots, but now it seems Mathews is entering the conversation. Per NBA Insider Jake Fischer, Mathews is emerging as a legitimate candidate to earn a spot. 

“I keep hearing Garrison Matthews…is a legit contender for the roster spot earmarked for a shooting specialist that Landry Shamet hopes to claim,” Fischer said. 

Mathews is renown for his three-point shooting

Much like Shamet, Mathews’ top skill is his three-point shooting ability. In his career, he is shooting 38 percent from three-point range. Last season with the Atlanta Hawks, he averaged 7.5 points per game and shot 39 percent from beyond the arc. 

In the Knicks’ preseason opener on Oct. 2, Mathews scored nine points on 3-4 shooting from three, and then followed that up with six points in their next preseason game. 

It’ll be an uphill climb for Mathews to secure a roster spot, but nonetheless he’ll look to keep making a strong impression to the Knicks coaching staff as he tries to earn a spot in Mike Brown’s rotation. 

Justin Backer

Justin Backer is a freelance writer for The Sporting News. A graduate of Florida Atlantic University, Justin began his sports writing career in 2023 and has previously written for Empire Sports Media and currently covers FAU Athletics for The Palm Beach Post.