The Knicks have secured another valuable bench piece from their championship roster, as Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reports that Jordan Clarkson is re-signing with the team.
According to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, Clarkson is returning on a one-year deal worth $3.9 million.
The move is an expected one, as the sense has been for weeks that the Knicks wanted to retain Clarkson, especially after the departure of Mitchell Robinson meant the salary that could have gone to the backup center made room for Clarkson to be signed while still accomplishing ownership's objective of staying below the second apron.
Clarkson signed with New York prior to last season, bringing a shot creator and scorer to a bench that clearly needed it after losing to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. But Clarkson's lapses on the defensive end led to several DNPs during the regular season, as first-year head coach Mike Brown went with other options, including youngster Mohamed Diowara. Clarkson took the benching in stride, and when he got his chance, turned up the defensive intensity and became a valuable contributor during the team's championship run. He averaged 10.8 minutes per game in the playoffs, shooting 45.5 percent from the field.
The 34-year-old will be entering his 13th NBA season. The former Sixth Man of the Year award winner is shooting 43.7 percent from the floor and 33.6 percent from beyond the arc across his career.
Another valuable bench piece is returning for the team's title defense.
Another valuable bench piece is returning for the team's title defense.
