Knicks to sign 20.8 PPG scorer in NBA free agency

The New York Knicks have made their first roster change of the offseason, as the team is expected to sign guard Jordan Clarkson once he clears waivers, per NBA Insider Chris Haynes. 

Clarkson — formerly with the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers — has spent the last six seasons with the Utah Jazz. He has averaged 17.5 points per game off the bench in that span, and won Sixth Man of the Year in 2021 after he averaged 18.4 points per game while shooting 42 percent from the field and 35 percent from three-point range. Clarkson averaged a career-high 20.8 points per game in 2023.

The Knicks were in desperate need of bench depth following last season, where they got little production outside of Miles McBride. Signing Clarkson should provide the Knicks with a massive scoring punch off the bench, taking some of the load off of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Per StatMuse, Clarkson’s 4,589 points scored off the bench since 2020 are the most in the NBA, far ahead of second-place Malik Monk who has 3,882 points in that same span.

The Knicks averaged just 21.7 points per game off the bench last season, which was by far the worst in the NBA. The team’s 1,783 total points scored by the second unit was also dead last in the NBA by a wide margin. 

The details of Clarkson’s contract have yet to be revealed, but it should be noted that the Knicks only have their $5.7 million taxpayer exception, and league minimum contracts to work with in free agency.