Three years ago, the New York Knicks traded Cam Reddish, Ryan Arcidiacono, and a first-round pick to the Portland Trail Blazers for Josh Hart. They finished the season on a 21-8 run before winning their first playoff series in 10 years.
While it’s too early to officially compare that to their more recent deal for Jose Alvarado, the fans’ first look at the pesky guard from Brooklyn is igniting feelings of nostalgia.
As advertised
Alvarado is averaging 14 points, 3.7 assists, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game in three games with the Knicks, including blowout road wins over the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers, as well as an overtime home loss to the Indiana Pacers.
The scouting report has proven true upon his arrival: Alvarado is indeed undersized and physically limited, particularly on defense. But he’s also undeterred, instead weaponizing any oversight and capitalizing on it at every turn.
His relentless mentality on defense was on full display in his New York debut.
Alvarado immediately deployed full-court pressure, pestering last season’s NBA Sixth Man of the Year winner Payton Pritchard off the rip. He poked the ball out of his hands in the first quarter, trapping him on the sideline near half court in the second.
Watch him on this play against the Celtics, denying Jaylen Brown the luxury of a one-on-one with Jalen Brunson:
Head coach Mike Brown played Alvarado 12 straight minutes in his first game with the team. Any questions about his playing time and place on the Knicks’ totem pole were quickly answered, particularly with Miles McBride sidelined.
Fans have been privy to all the highs and lows of Alvarado’s defense through his first three games — his vision, his limitations, and a multitude of his trademark steals.
Up to seven total steals with New York, each has seemed more and more ridiculous than the last. For a guy who’s often the smallest on the floor, his prowess in the passing lanes almost gives him the feel of someone who’s five or six inches taller.
Related: Alvarado straight-up bullied the 76ers on Wednesday night.
Offensive questions
Assimilating defensively is the easy part for Alvarado, whose game on that end is already singular stylistically. Offensively, Alvarado will see more growing pains as he learns a new system — while the Knicks are seemingly learning it too.
So far, so good.
Alvarado joined New York while shooting 36% from three on volume and averaging 3.1 assists per game in New Orleans. Three games into his tenure, and those numbers have seen a boost to 45% shooting and 3.7 assists nightly.
If his shooting holds up, so will his playing time.
Brown has been adamant that the Knicks will load up on three-point attempts. After finishing last season ranked 27th in attempts with 34.1 nightly, New York entered the All-Star break ranked ninth, putting up 39.8 and 40.2 over their last 10 games played.
If his performance against the 76ers is any indication, Alvarado has Brown’s green light to let it fly. He put up 13 against Philadelphia, which is not only his most this season but also a career high.
The eight makes ties a career-high setback in 2022 and brings Alvarado’s total to 10 with the Knicks, after making 70 of 193 through 41 games in New Orleans.
Lineup configurations
With a greater volume comes a higher shooting percentage, right? All of the lineup numbers support the idea that Alvarado will be a difference-maker.
According to Pivot Fade, New York is +42 in Alvarado’s 62 minutes thus far, posting a 133.9 offensive rating and 99.2 defensive rating. More importantly, the numbers remain positive when Brunson is off the floor (numbers constituting 34 minutes):
- +18
- 132.4 offensive rating
- 104.3 defensive rating
One trend to watch coming out of the All-Star break is that only 25 of Alvarado’s minutes without Brunson have come alongside Karl-Anthony Towns. Spoiler alert: That should skyrocket down the stretch.
Having a capable ball-handler to feed Towns in his spots will do wonders for an offense that ranks in the 27th percentile in points per without Brunson.
We’ve already seen it, with three of the 11 assists Alvarado recorded as a Knick going to Towns’ baskets. No player has attempted more shots off of passes from Alvarado, according to NBA.com’s tracking.
Whatever embers were smoldering below the New York Knicks’ core, representative of their title shot, the introduction of Jose Alvarado feels like a much-needed dose of gasoline.
