Knicks' Newcomer Can Fill Crucial Spark Plug Role

The 2024-25 New York Knicks were not among the NBA's most advanced offenses. In fact, one of their offseason focuses went directly towards making them considerably tougher to scout as they embark on their upcoming championship hunt.

The Knicks were very Jalen Brunson dependent the last time that anyone saw them in an official live-ball setting, allowing their leading scorer and Clutch Player of the Year to dominate as the high-usage show-runner. He had a few tertiary star-caliber scorers in Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges at his sides, but they each spent more time watching the ball stick than either may have expected upon their respective trades to New York.

Their front office devoted their healthy resources to diversifying the supporting cast at Brunson's side, locating him more shooters and scorers in order to keep the star from doing all of the work amidst their heightened contending odds. In came another big man shooter in Guerschon Yabusele, a few ball-moving veteran guards in Landry Shamet and Malcom Brogdon and, interestingly, another score-first option in the form of Jordan Clarkson.

The 11-year pro may have had a clunky introduction to Knicks fans earlier this week in a chuck-happy preseason opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, but he's fairly accomplished as a hands-on bucket-generator.

The former Sixth Man of the Year-winner has spent his previous half-decade with the Utah Jazz, thriving as the heat-check combo guard on some fun Western Conference contenders before the team blew it up to leave Clarkson alone with few options around him in recent years. He's coming off of a 16.2 point per game campaign on a low 54% true shooting and 36.2% 3-point clip that granted him fewer minutes than usual, with his Jazz fully intent on losing games to secure favorable draft odds.

Those 26 minutes per game rang in as his lowest over a full season in Utah, but that will likely replicate the bench role he'll be expected to play in New York. They could use someone with velcro hands every now and then, taking the tougher, more audacious shots that the offense will occasionally require when Brunson sits.