Free Agent Target Could Impact Knicks New Guard's Role

The New York Knicks entered this offseason set on channeling their recently-built momentum. They maintained emphasis on the starting unit that put them within a series of last season's NBA Finals and brought in a few much-needed depth pieces, with their lack of rotational help contributing to their undoing in the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals.

Guerschon Yabusele was the most desirable of the free agency pieces the Knicks reeled in this summer, a floor-spacing forward with the skills to fit with multiple key frontcourt rotations in New York. But the Knicks had to specifically tend to their need for more guard depth behind Jalen Brunson, which is where Jordan Clarkson grew valuable.

His reputation as a microwave-scoring sixth man looks to grant him regular on-ball possessions when running with the bench unit, as well as someone to take the load off of Brunson with the starters as a way of diversifying the offense.

Those plans, however, may be thrown into question following a recent free agency development. Malik Beasley has officially shaken off a federal gambling investigation, and looks to re-emerge back into the league as the best shooter on the market.

He's coming off of one of the best 3-point shooting seasons anyone had in 2024-25, sinking 41.6% of his long-distance attempts on 9.1 attempts per game and setting new career-highs in success rate and volume. The key Detroit Pistons guard was pivotal in the team's resurgence, jumping from the league's worst record into a playoff team during Beasley's lone season with the team.

Clarkson is the more decorated player between him and the journeyman shooter, having earned the 2021 Sixth Man of the Year award for his scoring prowess on the once-formidable Utah Jazz. He was never the pure shooter Beasley is, relying considerably more on dribble pull-ups all around the court, and the 36.2% of his 3-pointers he hit last season was his first time in five years hitting at or above a league-average clip.