The New York Knicks were among the several NBA teams making moves before the trade deadline. While they may not have acquired a significant star like Giannis Antetokounmpo or James Harden, they added substantial help for another playoff run.
On Thursday, Shams Charania reported that New York acquired Jose Alvarado from the New Orleans Pelicans. In exchange, they traded Dalen Terry and two second-round picks to New Orleans.
Alvarado, who also earned the nickname “Grand Theft Alvarado” due to his sneaky good ability to steal the ball from opponents, gives the Knicks a boost at point guard. Some have even likened the undrafted Alvarado to a shorter version of Josh Hart, as he provides a lot of effort on the court.
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He and Alvarado were teammates briefly when Hart was part of the Pelicans in 2021 and 2022. Hart has since become a popular player for the Knicks due to his energy and all-around effort, and is one of several Villanova players who often make the starting lineup.
He also seems to approve of his former teammate, Alvarado, becoming his new Knicks teammate. With a simple X message, Hart seemingly welcomed him to New York, or announced it to fans who weren’t yet aware of the move.
Alvarado brings career averages of 8.1 points, three assists, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game to the New York roster.
Most likely, he’s happy to be leaving behind a Pelicans squad that really hasn’t been super competitive, despite them having former No. 1 pick Zion Williamson in their lineup. He joins a Knicks team that nearly reached the NBA Finals last postseason, losing 4-3 to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Knicks were among several Eastern Conference teams with playoff aspirations who made moves before Thursday’s deadline. In a massive move, the Cleveland Cavaliers traded All-Star Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers for James Harden, creating a dynamic duo with Donovan Mitchell.
As of this writing, Cleveland is 31-21 in the Eastern Conference standings. Meanwhile, the Knicks (33-18) are ahead of them and tied with the Boston Celtics in the standings. However, both teams trail the conference-leading Detroit Pistons, and it appears they were looking for upgrades before the deadline for their playoff runs.
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