Clarkson to blossom in New York?

NEW JERSEY -- Filipino-American guard Jordan Clarkson is leaving Utah after five-and-a-half seasons with the Jazz.

Clarkson is moving to New York to join the Knicks, a top contender next season, after reaching a contract buyout with the rebuilding Jazz.

The 33-year-old guard, though, will not bring with him his massive wardrobe collection from Utah. Instead of uprooting his closet of vintage streetwear and shoes, he will be selling them off to his Jazz fans at steal prices as a parting gift.

Thrifthood, a buy-and-trading store of vintage clothes and branded shoes in Utah, will host the closet sale for one of the NBA’s best-dressed players.

More than 1,000 pieces from Clarkson’s closet will be sold during the three-day event from 1 to 3 August at 57 West 200 South, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Clarkson’s stint with the Jazz was marked by his Sixth Man of the Year award in 2021. The Jazz reached the playoffs during Clarkson’s first three seasons in Utah. He became a fan-favorite with his scoring flurries off the bench and his active role in the community.

The former Gilas Pilipinas star will bring his microwave scoring to the Knicks, who ranked last in bench scoring last season.

This early, Clarkson is tied for the fifth-best odds to win the Sixth Man of the Year next season at BetUS, a top 10 bookmaker according to esportsbets.com.

Clarkson, Toronto Raptors’ Gradey Dick and Memphis Grizzlies’ Ty Jerome are all tied at +1800.

Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard is the odds-on favorite at +450, followed by Cleveland Cavaliers’ De’Andre Hunter (+800), Minnesota Timberwolves’ Naz Reid (+1000) and Los Angeles Clippers’ Bradley Beal (+1400).

Clarkson averaged 16.2 points, 3.7 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 26.0 minutes for the Jazz last season.

The Knicks are banking on Clarkson’s addition to avoid their pitfalls in the last playoffs, wherein they lost to an underdog but a deeper Indiana Pacers’ team in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Despite their best season in 25 years — reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000 — the Knicks fired their longtime coach, Tom Thibodeau.

They hired Mike Brown, a two-time NBA Coach of the Year like Thibodeau, who last coached at Sacramento, where one of his assistants and player development coach was former PBA and Gilas star Jimmy Alapag.

Brown said during his introductory presser that he will have the Knicks play a faster pace, which suits Clarkson’s strength.

The Knicks will count on Clarkson to lead the second unit and provide the necessary firepower when the starters, led by All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson, will get their customary rest on the bench.