NEW YORK – Before the trade deadline, the New York Knicks acquired point guard Jose Alvarado after a half-season of looking for another ball handler. The point guard has fit relatively seamlessly into head coach Mike Brown's system. In his first month, he's helped the group endure the temporary loss of back-up guard Miles McBride. That's come in the form of contributions like closing out their 18-point comeback win over the Houston Rockets.
Ahead of Wednesday night's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, reporters asked Brown for his impression of Alvarado thus far. The coach had high praise for the Brooklynite, telling reporters that he's already established himself as “irreplaceable” on this Knicks roster.
“He's been good. The quickness is irreplaceable. It gives us a different look,” Brown said, citing the team's desire to play fast as part of why Alvarado has been so impactful. “He's different in a way that kind of stands out. I don't know what that way would be, but Jose was available.
“And I give Leon [Rose] credit, he got him. It's helped us on both ends of the floor. … The energy on top of the quickness that he brings to the table, every time we step on the floor, is irreplaceable. At least with the guys that we had, or the guys that we have. Just different.”
Alvarado gets taste of potential playoff role against Thunder
Alvarado has played 18.9 minutes per game in 11 appearances with New York, averaging 7.5 points, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals a night. Despite shooting just 29.4% on 3-pointers as a Knick, the energy Brown mentioned is his calling card. The guard has delivered, and his overall field goal percentage is in line with his averages throughout his career.
Regardless, Alvarado may have gotten a taste of what his playoff role might look like against Oklahoma City on Wednesday. The guard made just one of his four shots, including two misses from downtown. He ended up playing just 12 minutes overall. He briefly spelled Jalen Brunson for 1:24 in the fourth quarter, scoring against Lu Dort before returning to the bench.
Once McBride returns from injury, Alvarado might need to impact games in shorter spurts of on-court action. He'll likely earn more opportunities to close big contests, especially if the matchup calls for it schematically. But if the Knicks are going to continue to re-establish depth as a priority under Brown, they'll need to keep leaning on theirs.
However, the team also hasn't had all of Brunson, McBride, and Alvarado healthy at once just yet. The playoffs will be of imminent concern once they do. Brown will need to lean on his players, and whatever data he was able to get on them, when those tests come. That could mean smaller – but still significant – roles for players like Alvarado.
