Knicks Boosting Depth in Productive Offseason

The New York Knicks knew they needed to add some depth in the offseason if they wanted to compete more in the Eastern Conference for the upcoming season.

They did that by signing former Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson and Philadelphia 76ers forward Guerschon Yabusele to one-year deals.

Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes believes the Knicks are deeper after signing Clarkson and Yabusele.

"Clarkson, 33, seemed to fade in Utah after winning Sixth Man of the Year in 2020-21. But who could blame him? The Jazz dismantled their roster shortly thereafter, leaving Clarkson to generate shots in low-stakes games against defenses heavily focused on stopping him. Even last year's disappointing 16.2 points per game would have been hugely helpful for the Knicks," Hughes wrote.

"Yabusele brings bulk down low and real stretch (38.0 percent on threes) from the perimeter. He'll be an ideal complement to either Karl-Anthony Towns or Mitchell Robinson."

"New York didn't have much flexibility, but it did as well as it could under the circumstances. Brown has weapons outside the starting lineup now, and the Knicks look better on paper than they did in their Conference Finals run last year."

The Knicks could get even deeper later in the offseason by signing another player or two, but for now, the team is still in a good spot.

As of now, Yabusele and Clarkson will join Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride in the second unit. Meanwhile, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns will make up the starting five.

That's a nine-man rotation that could compete with anyone in the NBA. There's elite defense in the first unit with Anunoby and Hart along with top-tier scoring in Brunson and Towns. Clarkson and McBride are nice complements in the backcourt, while Yabusele and Robinson give the Knicks options and versatility in the frontcourt.

Overall, the Knicks are in a great spot as July reaches the halfway mark.