Getty Tobias Harris #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Against the Phoenix Suns Monday night, the Philadelphia 76ers welcomed a few familiar faces back to town. On the wing was Mikal Bridges, the Philadelphia native who played college ball down the road at Villanova and was drafted by the Sixers in 2018, only to be flipped to the desert before the night was over. Dario Saric, another Process cast-aside, got three minutes of action against the Sixers as well.
But Bridges and Saric weren’t the only former Sixers who suited up for the Suns Monday night. For just over 11 minutes, Landry Shamet took the floor against his former team. In 2018, the Sixers drafted Shamet with the 26th pick, only to ship him off to the Los Angeles Clippers 54 games later in a deal that brought back Tobias Harris.
Looking back on it, Shamet has no regrets about how his time in Philadelphia came to an end, opening up to Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire on Monday.
“I told myself in that situation I played myself into it being a trade asset for a deal that was like that,” Shamet said. “That can add value to yourself for sure, but ultimately, that’s not where affirmation should be sought out. I think it’s built through what you do every day in the grand scheme of things. Either way, it happened, and that’s basketball. That’s the business of it. I’m grateful that it happened that early. Just so you can get a feel for what it’s supposed to be like, how the league is, and it all plays out the way it’s supposed to.”
Phoenix Suns guard Landry Shamet reminisced on his time with the Philadelphia 76ers and the trade involving Tobias Harris.
Shamet’s Advice From JJ Redick
In Philadelphia, Shamet was primarily touted for his strong shooting ability. Through his 54 games in Philadelphia, the Wichita State Shocker hit on 40 percent of his threes on 4.5 attempts per game. And his 8.3 points per game were especially helpful off the bench, ensuring his 20-plus minutes of action per night were useful.
But one of the reasons Shamet was ultimately dealt was because the Sixers already had a three-point maestro on the roster: JJ Redick. But Shamet recalls a pep-talk he got from Redick after a particularly rough day at the office.
“I remember I had a game in Memphis that year,” Shamet explained. “I think it was the day we traded for Jimmy (Butler) and we had like nine guys or something, a short roster, and I went like 1-for-11 from 3. I was so mad, pissed off, didn’t wanna talk to nobody, we’re in the locker room after and JJ comes up to me like ‘Dude! You got up (expletive) 11 jacks in an NBA game! (Expletive) congrats, man! That’s awesome!’ being able to bring some light into things.”
Shamet’s Bounced Around the League Since Leaving Philly
Since Philadelphia packaged him in a trade to Los Angeles, Shamet has struggled to find a long-term home. In addition to the Sixers, Clippers, and Suns, he’s also played for the Brooklyn Nets. And he’s not quite been able to top the 10.3 points per game that he averaged as a rookie ever since.
But through it all, Shamet’s carried his memories from Philadelphia. According to the guard, it’s nothing but appreciation for the City of Brotherly Love.
“Every time I come back to the city it feels like it has some sense of home. It was the first place I played, they drafted me, gave me my opportunity here in the league. Grateful for that, a lot of love for the fans, always. It’s a city that has definitely made an impact on me and always grateful to come back.”