Jordan Clarkson Agrees to Re-Sign with Knicks: Is He a Fantasy Basketball Handcuff?
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The New York Knicks have agreed to re-sign Jordan Clarkson. He will remain a depth piece to this Knicks team that will defend their title in 2026-27. As the team enters the offseason as plus-850 favorites to repeat as Champions, Clarkson hopes to play a key role in that. The roster appears to remain largely the same, especially in the backcourt. So, what does he bring to the table, you ask? Well, let us answer.
Fantasy Basketball Breakdown
Clarkson played 17.8 minutes per game in his 72-game campaign over 2025-26. However, he ranked 3rd-highest on the entire team in usage rate. Clarkson's usage was 20.3%, being one of just three Knicks to have a >20% usage rate when on the basketball court (Brunson, Towns).
The strengths of Clarkson were none in particular. He was a well-rounded player who was capable in each key metric, but subpar in none. Clarkson shot 45.1% from the field, his best mark since 2019-20. He was 32.7% from the three-point range, 83% from the free-throw line, and had a 34.3% assist rate.
Clarkson's weakness, if any, was rebounding. He accounted for just 10.3% of rebounds while on the court, but he is also a guard, not expected to get many rebounds.
The Knicks' depth chart for 2026-27 is already rounding itself out. The starting guards will be Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, although Hart and Mikal Bridges will often stretch from the 2-guard spot down to the 4-forward spot. No role will be consistent.
The backup guards will include Miles McBride, Landry Shamet, and Clarkson. Clarkson will stretch to play small forward at times. The team ultimately goes small with combo guards and relies more heavily on set roles rather than set positions. Clearly, it works as the Knicks won the 2026 NBA Title.
When it came to ranking Clarkson a season ago, he was not all that viable. Clarkson ranked outside of the top 7 shooting guards and top 80 small forwards. He lacks much to be desired, even in his 2026-27 return to the Knicks. Clarkson is a handcuff, at best. However, even if Brunson missed any time, the role would be evenly spread between McBride, Shamet, Clarkson, and Tyler Kolek.
Knicks fans may welcome back their veteran guard, but fantasy basketball managers can continue with their research. There is nothing here of value.
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Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.