Dec 31, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) dunks in front of San Antonio Spurs forward Kelly Olynyk (8) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Former NBA Starter Embracing New Role With Knicks

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Delilah Bourque | Last updated Jan 2, 2026 10:00 AM ET

New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson fought hard to secure his spot as a starter on various former teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Utah Jazz. Now, the former starter is a reservist called when the big guns are unavailable.

If you ask Clarkson, however, he isn't worried about not being a starter now that he's in New York.

“I kind of knew that this is what I was going to do," Clarkson said after the Knicks' 134-132 road loss to the San Antonio Spurs on New Year's Eve. "Cleveland, came off the bench, same thing. It hasn’t changed since then. Just really embraced it and ran with it.”

New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Clarkson scored 20 points in the 24 minutes he played against San Antonio, going eight for 17 on field goals (47.1 FG%) and four for six on three pointers (66.7 3PT%). It was his third-highest scoring game so far this season and, though the Knicks lost, proof that the bench is more than able to contribute. Clarkson agrees, saying after the game that he puts his heart into his play, regardless of how many minutes he gets in an individual game.

“Yeah, that’s my job," The 2021 Sixth Man of the Year said. "That’s my role. I don’t expect nothing more, don’t expect nothing less. Just come out and try to impact whatever time I get.”

Knicks Bench Getting More Minutes

The Knicks worked hard to improve their bench this offseason, and that hard work is paying off. In addition to adding Clarkson, they also added French center/forward Guerschon Yabusele (though he's now viewed primarily as a trade piece) and brought back Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet. Then there's young reservist Tyler Kolek, who secured an epic Christmas Day win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Perhaps even more impactful than greater bench depth is a new head coach who is unafraid to give those reservists more opportunities. Last season, under former HC Tom Thibodeau, Knicks starters played more minutes than any other team in the association.

While that formula led the team to advance to their first Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years, it wasn't quite enough to get the job done. Plus,Thibodeau faced constant criticism for letting players get injured and fatigued, leading to worsening play in key moments.

Now, with new HC Mike Brown calling the shots, guys like Clarkson have more of a chance. The strategy is paying off, with the Knicks securing an NBA Cup Championship and consistently topping the power rankings. Should this level of play continue, there's no telling how far they'll go.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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