Jordan Clarkson Has His Eyes in the Right Place to Begin 2nd Knicks Year

Heading into the offseason, there were some questions surrounding if Clarkson would return. He had won his first championship, and the Knicks let it be known early on that their priority was to bring back the bench core of Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado, and the up and coming Mohamed Diawara.

Would the veteran want to return on a potentially lesser role for a limited amount of money? The answer was apparently a loud yes.

Clarkson recently spoke about returning to New York and just how much he loved playing in New York, and more specifically, with this team.

"It’s something that I’ve fallen in love with. I love playing my role, playing for this team and playing for each other." Clarkson said. "I think that was the biggest thing last year that I’ve learned. Just trying to be comfortable and know the system this year a lot more and come here and provide a spark and keep trying to do small things that win games."

This backs up what Shamet has said multiple times in the past few months. This bench unit is rare in that there are no individual agendas. They truly want each other to succeed, even if it means fewer minutes for themselves, because they know that that's what will be the best for the team.

Clarkson's latest quotes should be a great sign for the Knicks and their fans that his head is right where it needs to be.

Jordan Clarkson's mindset is huge for the Knicks

Obviously we'll never truly know what the negotiations between Clarkson and the Knicks were like this past summer. But the fact that he came back, likely knowing that he wasn't going to play big minutes consistently, shows he, like many of the other non-starters, are willing to sacrifice once again and do what's best for the team.

When Clarkson initially signed with the Knicks last year, he was looked at as an impact piece. While the team and fans had big expectations for Miles McBride, there was hope that Clarkson would be the explosive bench scorer the team had long lacked.

The veteran guard showed flashes of that early on with back-to-back 15 points games to kick off November and then scoring 24 points in 33 minutes in a big win over the Heat in mid November. That being said, much of his first few weeks as a Knick were lackluster.

After appearing in each of the team's first 44 games, Mike Brown decided to switch some things up. Coming off of New York's infamous 2-9 stretch, Clarkson appeared in just two out of six games and 10 out of 20 games. For close to two months, it looked like Clarkson was not only entrenched at the end of the Knicks' bench but was potentially on his way out of the league. But the former Sixth Man of the Year did something nobody expected. He re-invented his game.

For much of his career, including his first few months with the Knicks, Clarkson was a shoot-first volume scorer that was not known for his defense or rebounding. But when he re-entered the rotation, he looked like a different player.

Clarkson was still looking to score but his shot selection was slightly better. His shot diet also went from jump-shot heavy one to one with more drives and floaters. But more importantly, Clarkson gave much more effort on defense and on the offensive boards. He still wasn't a lockdown defender but he was determined to be more of a pest defensively.

Like Brown and captain Jalen Brunson so often preach, it takes a team effort. And having veterans who are willing to sacrifice and accept whatever role they are given without pouting can be extremely valuable.

Clarkson's best days are behind him, and he'll likely go through tough stretches once again. And with the current roster construction, there's pressure on Clarkson. But he is still a very solid depth piece to have and one that will still likely win a few games for them this season.

If he starts the season playing sporadic minutes because the team wants to prioritize Diawara's development, then it sounds like he'll accept that. And if and when the team needs him because of an injury or because the team is struggling, he'll stay ready.

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