Since Jalen Brunson went down with a nasty ankle injury late in last week's loss to the Orlando Magic, fans and pundits alike have been debating who on this New York Knicks team will wind up stepping up in his absence.
From Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges to Josh Hart, the list of players mentioned as this club's "next man up" go-to option has been rather extensive.
And while these aforementioned names could certainly be quality options to consider, there's one specific talent residing on this roster who objectively has the best shot at making up for some of Brunson's most impactful attributes, particularly in the scoring department.
That man: Jordan Clarkson.
Jordan Clarkson can be Jalen Brunson-lite for Knicks scoring punch
It's fair to say that Clarkson's tenure with the Knicks did not get off to the start many were hoping. Over his first five games played in 2025-26, the veteran guard found himself posting rather putrid averages of 6.8 points on 32.4 percent shooting from the floor and 29.4 percent shooting from deep.
Without question, such numbers are a far cry from the 16.2 points on 36.2 percent shooting from deep he posted just a season ago.
However, since the calendar page flipped to November, it appears the sixth man extraordinaire has finally gotten himself into a groove with his new situation, as he's been out there dropping 13.8 points per game on a highly efficient 54.9 percent shooting from the floor and 40.0 percent shooting from deep.
Without the likes of Brunson's electrifying three-level scoring abilities and 28.0 points-per-game averages, it goes without question that the Knicks have and will continue to struggle to make up the difference with their current approach.
During the two games he's missed so far, coach Mike Brown has turned to the likes of Josh Hart to serve as the lead distributor in his absence, while Miles McBride has played the role of core backcourt scoring weapon.
This experiment has seemingly worked out well for the former, as he's been dishing 9.5 assists on average in such a role.
However, the latter's production has been a mixed bag, especially late in Monday's gut-punch 115-113 loss to the Miami Heat, where, in the final seconds of regulation, he was entrusted to try and create a game-tying action, only to sloppily loft up a left-handed driving layup that fell well short and, in turn, paved the way to their ultimate demise.
No, this failed attempt should not diminish the impressive performance McBride had on the night as a whole, as his 25 points on 41.7 percent shooting from deep were both season-highs (minimum 10 shots attempted).
That said, it definitely suggested that he may not be the backcourt player coach Brown should look to when in need of a bucket.
That, instead, should be a task reserved for Clarkson, who not only has made a career for himself as a microwave scorer thanks to his handles, foot quickness, and innate ability to get off a shot regardless of positioning, but also scored just 1.8 fewer points in clutch situations than Captain Clutch himself, Jalen Brunson, last season, while shooting a ridiculous 66.7 percent from deep along the way.
He's also ranked within the top 50 in clutch points twice during the previous three seasons coming into this one, with his highest rank at 28 overall coming in 2022-23.
The good news about these discussions is that the Knicks likely won't have to search for ways to make up for Brunson's absence for all that much longer, as recent rumblings suggest he'll be back sooner rather than later.
With that being said, it's always good to have an emergency game plan in place for if and when their superstar guard misses more time down the road. At least as far as trying to replace his scoring efforts out in the backcourt is concerned, Clarkson should be seen as the clear choice to take on such duties moving forward.