Veteran guard Jordan Clarkson said his move to the New York Knicks came together in “two minutes” after he finalized a buyout with the Utah Jazz in early July.
Appearing on “The Roommates” podcast Saturday night alongside new teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, Clarkson recalled being at the Wimbledon tennis tournament when his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, phoned to ask where he wanted to play next. “I picked New York,” Clarkson told the audience. Paul immediately reached out to the Knicks, and the deal was set almost instantly, Clarkson added. “Then I was a Knick.”
The 33-year-old, who is entering his 12th NBA season, said joining a roster fresh off an Eastern Conference Finals berth gives him the best chance to compete for a championship. He also cited the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden as a decisive factor. “Feeling the energy from the fans—knowing they’ll let you have it if you’re playing bad, and it’s all love when you’re playing great—at the end of the day, I just want to feel that energy,” Clarkson explained.
Brunson told the Central Park crowd that he and Clarkson had previously discussed teaming up. “I’m not going to say when, but me and Jordan talked about this a while ago,” the Knicks point guard said.
Limited to 37 games with Utah last season, Clarkson still averaged 16.2 points in 26 minutes per contest, shooting 40.8% from the floor and 36.2% from three-point range. The 2020-21 Sixth Man of the Year is expected to provide immediate scoring punch off the Knicks’ bench and will be the oldest player in the club’s projected rotation.
“Y’all been doing great things over here,” Clarkson told Brunson and Hart on the podcast. “I just want to come in here and enhance what y’all got going on.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
