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As trade rumors start to increase around the NBA, the New York Knicks have reported interest in a defensive guard after new injury updates.
After a shaky start to the 2025-26 NBA season, the New York Knicks have found a groove and reclaimed their seat as one of the top title contenders this year. But even with new head coach Mike Brown, stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, along with a strong supporting cast, there is always room for improvement through a trade.
Specifically for the Knicks, finding another guard is their top priority. With Miles McBride now set to miss time and Landry Shamet already out, they need another backup playmaker when Brunson heads to the bench.
While there may not be a ton of options available on the trade market, New York is reportedly eyeing a guard in particular, who could become available pretty soon. According to team insider Ian Begley, the Knicks have interest in trading for Jose Alvarado of the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Knicks are expected to show interest in Jose Alvarado, per @IanBegley
“ I think teams around the league are just keeping an eye down there to see who’s New Orleans going to make available. What will they want for those players? A New York product, Jose Alvarado, if they
Knicks Eyeing Jose Alverado In Trade Rumors
Alvarado made a name for himself by highlight-play steals and the annoyance he caused opponents. This season with the Pelicans, he is averaging 8.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and one steal on 43.8% shooting in a backup role. His numbers are a bit down from last year, but he remains one of the biggest spark plugs in the NBA.
“A New York product, Jose Alvarado, if they make him available, the Knicks, I’m sure, will be one of those teams that are interested,” Begley said on his YouTube show. “The Knicks will be among many teams that are interested in Jose Alvarado if he is made available.”
Alvarado’s skill set would fit perfectly with Brown’s new high-tempo style. He wouldn’t come in and be asked to score 20 points a night, but he can guard top-tier defenders and find open shots for players like Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Jordan Clarkson.
New Orleans is flailing in the West, and all indications show that they could start trading their valuable players soon. The Knicks could offer the contracts of Pacome Dadiet, Ariel Hukporti, Tyler Tolek, or a first-round pick to the Pelicans in an Alvarado trade, but as seen with Herb Jones’ trade value, they might want more for the pesky guard, though he would fit well in New York.
Knicks Injury Updates
One of the reasons New York could use a player like Alvarado is because of the backcourt injuries it is facing right now. Shamet was playing well in a bigger role, but he’s since gone down with an injury and isn’t expected to be back until Christmas at the earliest.
McBride is in a similar situation, as he left a recent game with an ankle sprain. It was most recently reported that he’ll miss at least a week, but that could become longer, as seen with the other leg injuries around the league.
Dadiet is another guard who is currently out, and though he isn’t a consistent contributor, New York is without three of their guards, leaving just Brunson, Clarkson, Hart, and Kolek healthy.
The Knicks were without Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson for stretches earlier in the year, but they’ve both been solid in their returns.
As they aren’t the same Tom Thibodeau-Knicks team from the past few years, New York still needs their supporting cast more than ever. With three of their guards out, bringing in a player like Alvarado becomes a lot more feasible, especially if they hope to make it past the Eastern Conference Finals.
Eli Gregorski is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy Sports. He has years of sports writing experience covering the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, international soccer, and Formula One. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was the assistant sports editor for the award-winning CU Independent student publication. More about Eli Gregorski
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