The New York Knicks quietly gained another layer of roster flexibility before the 2026-27 season.
Jordan Clarkson has waived the implicit no-trade clause that came with the one-year veteran minimum contract he signed earlier this month, according to Hoops Rumors’ Luke Adams.
“Hawks center Jock Landale, Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson, and Warriors big man Charles Bassey waived the implicit no-trade clauses in their respective contracts,” Adams reported. “Hoops Rumors has learned.”
The move means Clarkson no longer has the ability to veto a trade if the Knicks decide to move him before the February 2027 trade deadline.
While there has been no indication New York intends to trade the reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year or disrupt the core that helped deliver the franchise’s first championship since 1973, Clarkson’s decision removes one procedural hurdle should an opportunity arise during the season.
It is another subtle but meaningful win for a Knicks front office that has consistently prioritized roster flexibility throughout the offseason.
Clarkson Initially Received Trade Protection
When Clarkson re-signed with New York on a one-year veteran minimum contract, the agreement automatically gave him the right to veto any trade under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement.
Salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan of the Third Apron first highlighted that provision after the deal became official.
“Jordan Clarkson receiving the veteran minimum and will count as $2.4 million for the Knicks,” Gozlan wrote on X. “He will have veto rights to any trade since he’s re-signing on a one-year deal.”
The provision exists to protect players who re-sign with their current teams on one-year contracts—or two-year deals featuring a player or team option in the second season.
Players can, however, waive that protection as part of their contract agreement.
According to Adams, Clarkson chose to do exactly that.
The decision comes despite Clarkson never hiding his desire to remain in New York.
Following the Knicks’ championship-clinching victory over the San Antonio Spurs, Clarkson joked inside the visitors’ locker room that the team would be back the following season.
After agreeing to his new contract, he celebrated the reunion on Instagram by posting:
“still in this dream, NY! run it back! 🗽 love 🖤”
He followed that message on X with three simple emojis:
“🧡🗽💙”
Those comments reflected a player fully invested in defending New York’s championship rather than seeking another opportunity elsewhere.
Another Team-Friendly Move for Knicks Front Office
Clarkson’s decision to waive his trade protection also fits the broader pattern that has defined the Knicks’ offseason.
Owner James Dolan made it clear before free agency that crossing the NBA’s second salary apron was not an option.
“There’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do,” Dolan said during an appearance on WFAN. “One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron.”
President Leon Rose and salary-cap strategist Brock Aller responded by assembling one of the league’s deepest veteran benches without sacrificing financial flexibility.
Clarkson returned on a veteran minimum contract alongside Andre Drummond, while Landry Shamet and Jose Alvarado also agreed to team-friendly deals. Mohamed Diawara remains on one of the NBA’s most affordable young-player contracts.
ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks recently praised New York’s offseason work, joking on The Zach Lowe Show about the “voodoo power” Rose, Aller and the Knicks’ front office seem to possess when convincing veterans to sign favorable contracts.
Clarkson’s waiver only reinforces that reputation.
By giving up his implicit no-trade clause, the veteran guard surrendered one of the few contractual protections available to players in his situation, allowing the Knicks to retain maximum flexibility if another roster opportunity presents itself before the February trade deadline.
There is no indication New York plans to move Clarkson after bringing him back to defend its NBA title.
But the waiver gives Rose and Aller another tool as they continue navigating the NBA’s increasingly restrictive salary-cap landscape.
For a front office that has earned praise for finding every possible competitive edge this summer, Clarkson’s latest decision represents another quiet victory.
Knicks Receive Another Offseason Win With Jordan Clarkson Concession