When the New York Knicks next take the floor for regular season action, Jordan Clarkson will be suiting up in the orange and blue. When he does so, it will fulfill a dream that he's had for a while now — playing alongside Jalen Brunson.
Yes, it has long been a goal of Clarkson's to become teammates with the Knicks' franchise star. He said as much during his recent appearance on The Roommates Podcast, hosted by Josh Hart and Brunson.
"The arena [MSG], honestly,” Clarkson said. “Feeling the energy from the fans. Knowing they’re going to let you have it if you’re playing like s---. But when you’re playing great, it’s all love. At the end of the day, I just want to feel the energy. Get to play with y’all [Brunson and Hart]."
This moment came around the same time Clarkson was telling the story of how he came to be a member of the Knicks. Earlier this summer, he was attending a tennis match when he got a call from Rich Paul, his agent from Klutch Sports.
Jordan Clarkson wanted to be teammates with Jalen Brunson
Paul had reached out to check in with his client, seeing if he could get an indication of where Jordan wanted to play next season. For Clarkson, it wasn't a tough decision. He told his agent right away that he desired to be a Knick.
From there, it was a simple process. Rich Paul called up New York on the other line, and Jordan was set to join the squad within minutes. Sometimes it really is just that easy when you've got mutual interest from both sides.
During their conversation on the podcast, Jalen also hinted that this summer hadn't been the first time the two friends had discussed teaming up in an NBA setting. "I’m not going to say when,” Brunson said, “but me and Jordan talked about this a while ago.”
So it's fair to say this was something that had been in the works for a while. Guys can't always talk openly about it due to league rules, but there are whispers that get around enough for people to know.
In granting Jordan Clarkson his wish, the Knicks got a phenomenal scorer that should be able to give them a big boost off the bench. New York needed additional perimeter scoring and especially from guys who can create their own shot at a high level. They got all that and more in uniting Clarkson with Jalen Brunson.