By signing Malcolm Brogdon, the New York Knicks have officially acquired the versatile veteran they lacked along the second unit. It's a crucial shift in the right direction for a Knicks team that projected to rely on Jordan Clarkson for more than his skill set may permit.
Clarkson is a gifted isolation scorer who can catch fire at any moment, but Brogdon offers the off-ball versatility the Knicks otherwise would've lacked from a veteran backup guard.
Free agent guard Malcolm Brogdon has agreed to a one-year deal with the New York Knicks, agent Sam Permut of Roc Nation tells ESPN. Entering his 10th NBA season, the former Sixth Man of the Year gives the Knicks key backcourt depth and reserve playmaking. pic.twitter.com/JyVAywF2gj
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 12, 2025
Clarkson boasts career averages of 16.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.9 three-point field goals made on .436/.336/.829 shooting. Credit is due, however, to the fact that he's raised his game during his past three trips to the playoffs, averaging 17.3 points on .454/.353/.944 shooting.
In the event that Clarkson can carry the momentum he established with the Utah Jazz over to his tenure with New York, his presence could prove invaluable in the playoffs.
Optimism only goes so far for a team that's entering championship or bust territory, however, and one could argue Miles McBride is already set to occupy Clarkson's optimal role. New York needs a veteran who can play both with and without the ball, ideally capable of alleviating pressure from Jalen Brunson in multiple phases of the game.
Brogdon checks those boxes and looks the part of a player who could elevate the Knicks' second unit while fitting in seamlessly in spot minutes alongside the starters.
Malcolm Brogdon has the on and off-ball versatility the Knicks needed
Brogdon boasts career postseason averages of 12.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 three-point field goals made on .421/.378/.821 shooting. That includes the 2023 NBA Playoffs, when he was the Sixth Man for a Boston Celtics team that reached the Eastern Conference Finals.
During that run, Brogdon excelled as a slasher, playmaker, catch-and-shoot specialist, and defender—the type of versatility the Knicks were wise to covet.
Clarkson is a dynamic scoring threat who can get hot at any given moment and put up points in a hurry. The hurdle, however, is finding the ideal value when his shot isn't falling—and history suggests that asking Clarkson to go outside of a scoring role isn't necessarily conducive to his success.
Clarkson has shot 33.8 percent or worse from beyond the arc in three of the four seasons during which he's averaged at least 3.0 assists per game. Moreover, he's only converted at least 35.0 percent of his threes in three of his 11 NBA years overall.
With this in mind, it's fair to question Clarkson's nightly fit on a team with a minimum of four high-level shot creators in OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Brunson, and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Clarkson's offensive eruptions should prove nothing short of invaluable, but his average level of efficiency isn't quite in line with what the Knicks need from a player in a relatively limited on-ball role. Brogdon must answer questions about his recent injury history, but when healthy, he offers a more well-rounded skill set.
Brogdon has shot 44.2 percent or better on catch-and-shoot threes in two of the past three seasons, and boasts a career mark of 38.8 percent from beyond the arc.
With this in mind, Brogdon's off-ball value could prove as crucial as anything Clarkson does with the ball in his hands. Brogdon won't rely on isolation opportunities, although it's worth noting that he's averaged at least 11.4 drives on 48.8 percent shooting or better in each of the past three seasons—a clear sign of his proficiency.
Instead, Brogdon can offer the Knicks something Clarkson has yet to display: On and off-ball efficiency that makes him adaptable to a multitude of potential lineups.