Where Is Former Sixth Man Of the Year Jordan Clarkson?
New York Knicks Head Coach Mike Brown has made some changes as to who he looks for when he goes to his bench. At the beginning of the 2025-2026 NBA season, it was former Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson. As the season draws closer to the playoffs, it seems other bench players are getting the minutes, while Knicks fans are wondering where Clarkson is.
Who Is Jordan Clarkson?
If you have read this far and you are not familiar with who Clarkson is, then here is some background on the sensational guard. Born June 7, 1992, Clarkson is a Filipino-American professional basketball player for the NBA who currently plays for the New York Knicks.
Clarkson played college basketball for two seasons at Tulsa before he transferred to Missouri, where he earned second-team all-conference honors in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). He passed over his senior year in college to go into the NBA draft in 2014, and was drafted by the Washington Wizards in the second round with the 46th overall pick. He was immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
In his first season, Clarkson was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. He averaged 11.9 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game. He was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2021, where he averaged 18.4 points, 2.5 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game.
The Alvarado Effect
Clarkson is known for his scoring abilities, which gained him the title of Sixth Man of the Year. He came to the New York Knicks via free agency during the 2025 offseason. Clarkson reached a buyout agreement with the Utah Jazz on June 30, 2025, in which he gave back approximately $3.6 million of his salary to become an unrestricted free agent. When asked by his agent which team he wanted to go to, Clarkson chose New York.
The New York Knicks acquired Guard Jose Alvarado from the New Orleans Pelicans on Feb. 5, 2026, just ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline. The trade involved sending Dalen Terry, two future second-round picks, and cash to New Orleans in exchange for Alvarado. Following the trade, Alvarado made an immediate impact, including a 25+ point, 5+ steal game against the 76ers on Feb. 11, 2026.
Since the trade for Alvarado, Clarkson has seen less and less of the court, although he and Alvarado bring different strengths to the team.
Clarkson vs Alvarado: The Scorer vs The Stopper
Clarkson is more of a scorer, ready to come off the bench and provide quick buckets and three-pointers. Alvarado is more known for his tenacious defense that turns into offense. Both styles of play complement the vision Brown has for his team.
Clarkson is one of the league’s premier bench scorers, capable of creating his own shot and providing instant offense. He holds the record for the most points scored off the bench among active NBA players. He is considered to be an off-the-dribble shooter and driver, forcing defenders to account for him even when he’s not the primary option.
Clarkson possesses skillful handles that help him penetrate the paint and finish with either hand. He is also highly effective at getting to the free-throw line. Historically, Clarkson has been a significant negative on defense. He lacks elite lateral quickness to stay in front of faster guards, and often posts a negative Defensive Box Plus/Minus.
Alvarado is known as a “chaos agent” because of his premier point-of-attack as a defender who excels at disrupting opposing ball-handlers. He is famous for his signature for what is called “Grand Theft Alvarado” sneak-attack steals. Alvarado’s presence has significantly improved the New York Knicks’ defense. Since his arrival, the Knicks have maintained an elite 98.1 defensive rating while he is on the floor.
Clarkson’s Minutes Before and After the Trade
At the beginning of the 2025-2026 NBA season, Clarkson was an important piece to the New York Knicks’ rotation. He typically saw between 18 and 24 minutes per game. He played the most back in December of 2025, where he scored a season-high 25 points, shooting 9-of-17 from the field and 5-of-10 from 3-point range in a 126-124 comeback win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas Day. He played 29 minutes in that game.
While his role was already on the decline as early as January, he remained a key factor in the Knicks’ rotation until the trade for Alvarado. Following Alvarado’s arrival, Clarkson’s minutes have decreased tremendously. Since early February, he has averaged only 8.1 minutes per game.
Brown has also recorded multiple “DNPs” for the guard, or he has only appeared for a few minutes of mop-up duty in recent games, like Friday night’s blowout of the Denver Nuggets.
What Does This Mean For Clarkson’s Future
With this imminent decline in Clarkson’s minutes, what does this mean for the former Sixth Man of the Year as a New York Knick? When he joined the Knicks, they were over the luxury tax threshold, so they signed him to a one-year veteran’s minimum contract worth roughly $3.6 million.
In January, Brown noted that it was tough to get Clarkson in the rotation due to the strong play of other bench guards like Miles McBride and Landry Shamet.
Brown admitted he cannot always provide the minutes he would like for all his players. Since the trade for Alvarado, Brown has leaned heavily into a defensive style of play. Analysts have pointed out that the Knicks’ defense has improved to No. 1 in the league following Clarkson’s leaving the rotation, a shift Brown has reinforced by rewarding defensive effort with more playing time.
