Jordan Clarkson’s return to the New York Knicks remains a possibility despite the team’s financial restrictions, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. Clarkson is set to become an unrestricted free agent Tuesday after completing a one-year, $2.3 million deal that ended with the Knicks winning the 2026 NBA championship.
A source told The Post that “Don’t rule out a Jordan Clarkson reunion,” adding that the veteran guard could still fit into New York’s plans even with owner James Dolan’s mandate to remain below the second apron.
Clarkson, 34, played an unusual role during his first season with New York. He appeared in 72 games but started only once, averaging 17.8 minutes per night while posting 8.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. He shot 45.1% from the field, 32.7% from three-point range and 83.0% from the free-throw line.
The veteran guard provided the Knicks with another shot creator off the bench behind their main rotation players. New York’s offensive hierarchy was led by Jalen Brunson, who averaged 26.0 points and 6.8 assists in 74 games, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds during the regular season.
Clarkson’s inconsistent playing time was one of the biggest storylines of his season. Despite his scoring ability and experience, he averaged fewer than 18 minutes per game as the Knicks relied heavily on their core group of Brunson, Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart.
New York finished the 2025-26 regular season with a 53-29 record, earning the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks then completed a championship run by defeating the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the NBA Finals, with Clarkson serving as a reserve piece throughout the postseason.
Clarkson has spent much of his career as a high-volume scoring guard. He won Sixth Man of the Year with the Utah Jazz in 2021 and has averaged 15.8 points per game over his career.
