Clarkson remains an effective bench scorer and will return to New York after signing a one-year, $3.9 million contract in the early days of free agency. He embraced a small role during New York's title run, providing instant offense and veteran leadership off the bench while adapting to reduced minutes. That role isn't expected to change entering 2026-27. Clarkson can still deliver points, three-pointers and occasional assists in bunches, but his fantasy ceiling is lower than it was during his Utah days because of his limited workload. Considering he'll compete for bench minutes with players such as Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado and Miles McBride, even the most optimistic fantasy scenario for Clarkson would be a bench role and averaging around 18 to 20 minutes per game, which isn't enough to make him a valuable fantasy option outside of the very deep formats.