Jordan Clarkson Reportedly Expected to Sign Knicks Contract after Jazz Buyout
Jordan Clarkson's time with the Utah Jazz came to a rather unceremonious end, but he reportedly found his next team Monday.
According to NBA insider Chris Haynes and ESPN's Shams Charania, Clarkson plans on joining the New York Knicks after he clears waivers.
This comes after Charania reported ahead of the start of free agency that Clarkson and Utah finalized a contract buyout before what would have been the final season of his previous deal.
Charania noted multiple playoff contenders were expected to be interested in the veteran who responded on social media to the development:
Prior to that move, Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune reported the Jazz attempted to trade him but were unable to because there was "next to no interest" seeing how Clarkson "has not had a very good last two seasons and is on the wrong side of the age curve."
That Utah wanted to move him for something in return comes as no surprise, as it is in full rebuilding mode after it finished with the worst record in the league in 2024-25 at 17-65. Clarkson is also 33 years old and doesn't match up with the team's timeline to become a potential contender in a loaded Western Conference.
There are also some durability concerns seeing how he played just 37 games last season due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot that required surgery in March.
Yet he still added important secondary scoring with the versatility to either start or provide energy off the bench.
The Missouri product averaged 16.2 points, 3.7 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game when he was on the floor in 2024-25, continuing a stretch that has seen him average double-digit scoring totals every year since he entered the NBA as a second-round pick in 2014.
His best scoring season came in 2022-23 with the Jazz when he posted 20.8 points a night. Clarkson also took home the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2020-21 in his first full season for Utah when he tallied 18.4 points per game and shot 34.7 percent from deep.
While Clarkson isn't a superstar who is going to dramatically elevate a team's ceiling, he is the type of high-impact role player who can step into any situation and provide instant offense.
He is also an ideal fit for a New York team that can use more players who can create shots with the ball in their hands. While the gravitational pull of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns leads to open looks for everyone, the Knicks now have another option to create shots off the bounce.
Clarkson can do just that and perhaps anchor the team's second unit if needed.
The Knicks are in championship-or-bust mode after losing in the Eastern Conference Finals, and they surely see Clarkson as someone who can help accomplish that goal by providing more consistent offense on the perimeter.
