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The New York Knicks are signing veteran guard Jordan Clarkson once his contract buyout with the Utah Jazz is complete, per Chris Haynes. The Knicks were first linked to Clarkson on Monday after news of his buyout broke.
Clarkson was the first Jazz player to win Sixth Man of the Year when it was awarded to him for the 2020-21 season. He averaged 18.4 points per game that season, a career-best at the time. Clarkson's average scoring output of 20.8 points per game in 2023 beat that mark.
The 33-year-old Clarkson only played 37 games last year due to a foot injury. He underwent a procedure to address the plantar fasciitis in his left foot in late March that ended his season.
Before that injury ended his season, Clarkson was giving the Jazz solid production in his 26 minutes per game. The veteran scorer averaged 16.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 0.8 steals per game.
Clarkson also threw in 2.3 3-pointers a night, making 36.2 percent of his 6.3 average 3-point attempts. His 16.2 points per game was the fifth-highest average scoring contribution of his career.
Clarkson played a large role for the Jazz on offense last season. He recorded a 27.0 usage rate that was in the 92nd percentile among all NBA players in the 2024-25 campaign. When on the court, he assisted 23.8 percent of his teammates' makes – more than 85 percent of NBA players last season.
The Jazz may have exposed themselves to diminishing returns in regard to Clarkson's workload when he was healthy. Their efficiency differential decreased by 1.1 points when he was on the court. Their offense scored 1.9 fewer points per 100 possessions when he played, per Cleaning the Glass.
Clarkson provides veteran scoring punch for Knicks' bench
Clarkson did show last season that he had refined parts of his offensive game. His 21.5 free-throw rate, 87th percentile, ties for his fourth-highest. The Jazz made 2.8 more free throws per 100 field goal attempts when he was playing. That differential in free-throw rate was in the 85th percentile in the league last season, per Cleaning the Glass.
Clarkson is a 33.6 percent 3-point shooter for his career. In the 2023-24 season, he made just 29.4 percent of his 5.6 attempts from downtown per game. His 36.2 3-point shooting percentage this past season was the fifth-best of his career thus far. His 6.3 attempts per game were the result of his fourth-highest career 3-point shooting volume.
Once the Knicks expanded their rotation last season, veterans like Delon Wright and Landry Shamet made key contributions to the team's playoff run. The team entered this offseason knowing it needed to replace the production it got from those players.
Clarkson, bought out by the Jazz on Monday, was an ‘unexpected find' for New York at a ‘low cost,' per Steve Popper. His deal with the Knicks is expected to be for the veteran's minimum, according to Stefan Bondy.
Clarkson doesn't have a positive defensive reputation. As a result, he doesn't slot in cleanly next to All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson. He'll be a reserve for New York. But he'll be a valuable piece when they want to turn to their bench for scoring.
The Knicks are still searching for their next head coach. New York will continue to fill out its roster as free agency progresses. For now, they can say they've added a seven-year NBA scorer for as low of a cost as possible. Clarkson has the most points off of the bench in the NBA since 2020.
Whether or not guard Deuce McBride starts for the team next season, Clarkson can help provide scoring off of the bench. On a low-risk, low-cost minimum contract, it's a nice add for the Knicks.
