Even if he was the epitome of trick or treat, the Utah Jazz came away satisfied with the Jordan Clarkson experience while being happy to move on from him. Clarkson's time with the New York Knicks didn't exactly start off too great, but since the start of November, he's been a steady contributor, showing the Knicks what the Clarkson experience is all about.
How October went and how November is going for Clarkson encapsulates Clarkson in a nutshell. His October stats were abysmal, averaging 6.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals while shooting 32.4% from the field and 29.4% from three. In other words, terrible numbers for someone of Clarkson's caliber.
However, since the start of the new month, Clarkson has looked like, well, Jordan Clarkson. In only 18.3 minutes a game, he's averaging 12 points and 1.8 assists while shooting 57.6% from the field and 41.2% from three. That's the kind of player the Knicks had in mind when they brought him in, and that's the player they will get... in spurts.
When Clarkson is on his game, he's tough to stop. He really can swing a game by himself when his shot is going in. The only problem is that it is not and never has been something he can do consistently (if it were, Utah would have found a taker for him). The way for the Knicks to look at him with the glass half full is that even if he's inconsistent, Jordan Clarkson is still Jordan Clarkson.
Clarkson will swing a few playoff games
With the Knicks in the hunt for a playoff spot out East, Clarkson can be a gamechanger for them because of his potent and inconsistent scoring ability. He can absolutely change a playoff game, whether it's for better or worse.
Clarkson has been someone who can shoot his team into a basketball game just like he can shoot them out of one. That's how it's always been since he became a Jazzman. When he was in Utah, many questioned whether he was an empty-calorie scorer, and the Jazz helped his scoring become something worthwhile on the court, but his inconsistency remains the same.
And it's not like the Knicks will pay dearly if he doesn't work out. The Jazz are the ones paying the majority of his salary this season, while the Knicks gave him a veteran's minimum. It's not like the Knicks shouldn't have known what Clarkson brings and doesn't bring to the table beforehand, but he's showing them exactly what they paid for.