Free agent guard Jordan Clarkson will re-sign with the Knicks, agent Rich Paul tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link).
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link), Clarkson will earn $3.9MM on his new one-year contract, which means it’ll be a minimum-salary deal. It’ll count for about $2.45MM toward the cap, helping New York stay below the second tax apron. Team owner James Dolan made it a priority this offseason to avoid surpassing that second-apron threshold and the front office has stuck to that mandate.
After spending five-plus seasons in Utah, Clarkson signed a minimum-salary contract with the Knicks in 2025 and played a bench role for the eventual champions. The 34-year-old’s playing time fluctuated over the course of the season and he set new career lows in several statistical categories, including points (8.6), assists (1.3), and minutes (17.8) per game before playing just 30 total minutes in five NBA Finals contests.
Still, Clarkson bought into his role and provided some offensive punch as part of New York’s second unit. Now, he has decided not to pass on the opportunity to try to defend the team’s title in 2026/27.
In spite of their desire to avoid the second apron, the Knicks have been able to re-sign several key free agents this offseason, bringing back Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado, Mohamed Diawara, and now Clarkson on new deals. The team’s one notable cap casualty is center Mitchell Robinson, who signed a three-year, $47MM+ contract with the conference rival Celtics. New York technically could have matched that offer, but not without going deep into second-apron territory.
Once Clarkson officially re-signs, the Knicks will have 13 players on standard contracts, with about $3.27MM in wiggle room below the second apron. That would be enough to add a 14th man, but it wouldn’t be enough to fill the 15th roster spot until later in the season unless the club signs two second-round rookies (e.g. Tyler Nickel and Jack Kayil), whose cap/apron hits would come in below the $2.45MM veteran’s minimum.
