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The New York Knicks wasted little time making a splash in free agency. After the Knicks rounded out their starting unit last offseason, the Knicks recently reached an agreement with former Sixth Man of the Year winner Jordan Clarkson.
The 6-foot-3 guard will join the team for the veteran's minimum, according to the New York Post's Stefan Bondy. And he will be a welcomed addition to the team's bench, which was in dire need of scoring and playmaking help this past season.
Knicks add important spark to its second unit
The Knicks' bench was an area of need for the team entering this offseason. After solidifying its starting unit last Summer with the addition of Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, New York's bench was relatively depleted partially due to the two-for-one trade they swung for Towns.
The Knicks' bench was near the bottom of the league in terms of minutes per game through the regular season, which was also the case for the 2025 NBA Playoffs. And they received limited scoring support as well. The Knicks' bench scored the second-fewest points per game through the playoffs.
But Clarkson should help with bench depth and scoring. He is a dynamic scorer who can create for others when properly motivated. Clarkson averaged 16.2 points in 26 minutes per game last season for the Utah Jazz. And he connected on 36.2% of his 3-point attempts, which he averaged 6.3 attempts per game.
Clarkson addition should unlock additional lineup possibilities
Clarkson's bench scoring was badly needed. But his presence also enables additional lineups. Assuming everyone enters the 2025-26 season healthy, the Knicks can start Jalen Brunson, Bridges, OG Anunoby, Towns, and Josh Hart, Miles McBride, or Mitchell Robinson.
Two of Hart, McBride, and Robinson will anchor its bench along with Clarkson, which makes for an impressive eight-man rotation.
Clarkson can capably play point guard or shooting guard. He may not be an All-NBA defender, but Clarkson is a better and more willing passer than most people think. Over the past two seasons, Clarkson posted an assist percentage of 22.9% in 2024-25, which better than McBride, Hart, and Bridges.
Why is Clarkson signing meaningful?
The Clarkson signing was the team's first meaningful move of the 2025 offseason. He will immediately improve the team's depth and playmaking. And the fact the he selected the Knicks is an important and underappreciated aspect to the addition.
Clarkson agreed to a buyout of his contract with the Jazz that would have paid him $14.3 million. That is telling. Clarkson clearly wants to compete for a championship.
He has played in only 43 playoff games across his 11-year NBA career. And after reaching the NBA Finals (and losing) with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017-18, he has not gotten past the second round. The Knicks give him a great chance of doing exactly that.
Clarkson is hopefully the first of a few offseason moves for the Knicks. New York doesn't have many remaining needs to fill in free agency, unless Giannis Antetokounmpo decides to request a trade—which may be closer than we think.
Assuming the Knicks can lock down one or two additional impact guys, they will be incredibly prepared for an even deeper run next season. And the injuries to and moves made by the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers indicate an even easier path to the NBA Finals for the Knicks in 2026. Still, a lot has to go right to get there.
