New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson is facing unfamiliar territory as the team tries to pull out of their month-long slump. After being a regular in head coach Mike Brown’s rotation throughout the season, he has suddenly lost his spot off the bench with the team returning to full strength.
Knicks’ Jordan Clarkson is out of the rotation
In the Knicks’ historic 120-66 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, Clarkson didn’t play at all in the first half, only appearing in garbage time with the Knicks up by 32. This came after he only played two minutes in their double-digit loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday.
It is clear that, at least temporarily, Brown views Clarkson as the odd man out in a fully healthy rotation. Clarkson started the season off strongly, but the past month has been a struggle for him, averaging just 7.0 points and shooting only 37% from the field over his last 10 games.
Clarkson said after the Nets game that he was not approached by Brown about being benched. He added that he is taking things on a game-by-game basis as far as what his future holds.
“I read the room. I see what it is. I’m just a vet coming in here doing my work, staying ready, when I’m playing in those minutes with the young guys,” Clarkson said (h/t Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News). “I ain’t taking nothing away from them [by] being a pro, talking to them, trying to get them in their spots and still play.
“I’m not gonna go in there and f–k the game up. I’m just gonna try to keep continuing to play the right way and help these guys grow and continue to get better.”
Clarkson could be shopped ahead of the trade deadline
Clarkson signed a one-year contract with the Knicks over the summer. The goal was that he would become a flamethrower type of scorer for a second unit that needed additional scoring, and while he has provided that at times, he hasn’t been consistent enough on both ends to justify playing a heavy load of minutes.
Because of this, his name has been tossed around in trade rumors with the trade deadline less than two weeks away. The team needs upgrades to their bench, particularly in the frontcourt, and they could shop Clarkson to get those pieces.
Whether this recent benching is a sign of things to come remains to be seen. The Knicks have the Philadelphia 76ers on the road next as they look to start a new winning streak.