The Knicks have already done a good bit of their offseason housekeeping, but one familiar name is still hanging out in free agency: Jordan Clarkson.
After re-signing Landry Shamet and adding Andre Drummond, New York has most of its roster in place. The club also still has $6 million left in first apron space, money that can be used to sign players to the veteran’s minimum.
Clarkson spent last season with the championship-winning Knicks, and while he wasn’t in the rotation every night, he still gave them something useful. He brought veteran leadership, and when the bench needed a jolt, he could still provide one.
That’s why Stefan Bondy of the New York Post sounded upbeat about the possibility of Clarkson coming back, especially with DeMar DeRozan now on the market after his contract was bought out by the Sacramento Kings.
“Don’t know about DeRozan but I’m optimistic about Jordan Clarkson re-signing,” Bondy posted on X.
Clarkson was a solid pickup for New York on the veteran’s minimum last offseason. He finished with 8.6 points per game off the bench, and later in the year he worked his way back into the rotation after making strides defensively and on the offensive glass.
There’s no guarantee he’d have a locked-in role this time around, but the Knicks would still have plenty of reasons to want him back. He offers depth, experience and another steady voice in a locker room trying to keep its title core together.
That continuity matters for a team that wants to repeat. New York has already lost Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics and Ariel Hukporti to the Philadelphia 76ers, so keeping Clarkson would help preserve more of the championship group.
In Other News...
Knicks Reward Landry Shamet With Long Term Deal After Title Run
Landry Shamets value to the Knicks went well beyond the box score during their championship run, where he gave them needed shooting and steady defense at exactly the right time. His best stretch came in the Eastern Conference Finals, when he helped stabilize the rotation and fit neatly into a team that leaned on versatility and timely shot-making all spring.
Now the Knicks have made sure that contribution is part of their longer-term plan. Shamet agreed to a four-year, $24 million contract that gives New York some security without fully locking in every season, and team president Leon Rose made clear the organization views him as more than a short-term piece after the way he helped push the club to the title. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Fans Just Learned How Much Brunson Was Really Dealing With
Jalen Brunson is headed for offseason surgery on his left wrist, a move the Knicks have been able to put off until now because of how deep their run went. The procedure is expected to keep him on the shelf for about two months, but the bigger point for New York is that the team is finally addressing an issue that had been hanging over its star guard as it pushed through the spring.
Brunson is expected to be ready by the start of next season, which matters as much as anything for a Knicks team built around his availability and steadiness. The surgery is meant to prevent the wrist from getting worse and to protect his long-term health, leaving the organization with a brief offseason concern but no reason to believe its centerpiece will miss opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks May Already Regret This Cost Cutting Draft Decision
The Knicks spent draft night looking for savings, trading back in the 2026 NBA draft to trim rookie costs before bringing back Jose Alvarado and Landry Shamet. On paper, it was a tidy bit of roster management, the kind of move that helps a team preserve flexibility while filling out the back end of the rotation. But the cost-cutting approach also meant passing on a couple of intriguing young players who fit obvious needs for a team trying to balance win-now depth with a little long-term upside.
Cameron Carr and St. John's Zuby Ejiofor have both looked the part early in Summer League, which only sharpens the question of what the Knicks gave up by moving back. New Yorks veteran-heavy roster already leaves little room for developmental mistakes, and the ripple effects of that draft-night decision could reach beyond this summer if the team keeps trying to squeeze in more proven pieces around the edges. [Read more 🡒]