​Jordan Clarkson has decided to remain with the New York Knicks, agreeing to a one-year contract worth $3.9 million to return to the team on Thursday. The deal was first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN and serves to preserve another crucial piece of the championship roster as the Knicks look to sustain their recent run of success. Clarkson joined the Knicks last summer on a minimum contract after being waived by Utah. Despite posting career-low numbers across multiple categories, he still found ways to contribute during the title pursuit that ended the franchise’s 53-year championship drought.
In the regular season, Clarkson averaged 8.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. He delivered a notable performance in Game 3 of the Finals, scoring 10 points on efficient shooting off the bench to provide a much-needed spark for coach Mike Brown. The Knicks faced one notable offseason challenge: Jalen Brunson underwent surgery on his left wrist after playing through the injury for much of the championship run. Although Brunson is expected to resume basketball activities later this summer, New York decided it couldn’t go into the next season without additional backcourt insurance.
There had been clear signals that the front office wanted Clarkson back well before the deal was finalized. Ian Begley of SNY reported that the team had “expressed, all along here, a desire” to keep Clarkson around, a sentiment that was reinforced once free agency opened. That desire aligns with the roster construction the Knicks have already pursued in recent years.
New York has already committed to additional guard depth, with Jose Alvarado re-signing on a three-year contract worth $14.3 million, and Landry Shamet returning to the Knicks on a four-year deal totaling $23.9 million. Shamet’s playoff performance helped bolster that value, highlighted by a stretch in which he hit 11 of 12 three-pointers during the Eastern Conference Finals, and he closed the season averaging 9.3 points per game while shooting 39.2 percent from three-point range. Clarkson, by comparison, shot 45.1 percent from the field but a lower 32.7 percent from three, marking a dip from his Utah days. With Miles McBride entering the final year of his contract, Clarkson now slots in as a fourth guard behind three trusted veterans on the Knicks’ roster.
The trade that shaped this success story is central to Clarkson’s latest move. The Knicks delivered a season that translated into a championship, finishing the regular season 53-29, winning the NBA Cup in December, and then posting a 16-3 run through the playoffs—an impressive performance that included the largest comeback in Finals history in a Game 4 victory over San Antonio. The Spurs were ultimately defeated in five games, earning New York its first title since 1973. However, owner James Dolan prioritized staying under the second tax apron, and the departure of Mitchell Robinson to Boston underscored the price of remaining under that tax threshold.
Clarkson’s role for the upcoming season will likely be limited in minutes, but his value extends beyond stat lines. He brings championship experience and familiarity with Coach Brown’s system, offering a guard who has already tasted Finals success in New York and understands the responsibilities of his role going forward. This signing is a strategic piece of a broader plan to maintain depth and continuity in a backcourt that contributed significantly to the Knicks’ recent glory.