The New York Knicks made a major addition to their second unit this offseason when they signed Jordan Clarkson to a one-year, $3.6 million deal.
The Knicks ranked last in the NBA in points per game, and total points off the bench last season. The solution? Bringing in the league’s best bench scorer of the 2020s. Since the 2019-20 season, Clarkson’s 4, 589 points off the bench is first in the NBA by a wide margin.
In 2021, Clarkson won the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award after averaging 18.4 points per game off the Utah Jazz’s bench. Last season with the Jazz, Clarkson averaged 16.2 points per game, also off the bench.
Clarkson shares why he signed with New York
Now with the Knicks, Clarkson was asked on Wednesday by The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III about why he chose to sign with the Knicks.
“I made my choice to come here and suit up,” Clarkson said. “The team was really good. They're playing for something.”
Clarkson also revealed that the Knicks — who appeared in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, were at the top of his list in free agency. He also spoke about the differences in timelines between the Knicks, and the Utah Jazz.
“I'm a competitor at the end of the day,” Clarkson said. “(Utah's) timeline just didn't add up with mine. And that's no disrespect.”
Clarkson will now help the Knicks reach another level in 2026. After a strong season last year that saw them just miss the NBA Finals, they’ll look to secure their first NBA championship since 1973 this year.