Deuce McBride, who has been out since Jan. 27, is closing in on a return to action with the New York Knicks, as reported by Ian Begley of SNY. This is excellent news for the team, and everyone in the Big Apple will be eager to have him back.
But Jose Alvarado, in particular, may have to sacrifice minutes upon his return. This is something he’s not used to, coming from his days as a key bench player for the New Orleans Pelicans where he hovered around 20 minutes per game for several years.
For what it’s worth, Alvarado’s minutes have already been trending downwards. He played 12 in the three-point defeat versus the Oklahoma City Thunder, 11 in the near 40-point blowout win over the Denver Nuggets, and just seven (his lowest as a Knick thus far) in the loss against the Los Angeles Lakers.
It’s easy to see why Alvarado may have to take a cut. All he can do is stay prepared in case a change occurs, which is almost an inevitability in the NBA.
Jose Alvarado’s can-do attitude is one the Knicks can easily work with
Although Jose Alvarado built his career from the ground up with the New Orleans Pelicans, once he established his worth, he had very few stretches of minimal to no playing time. Alvarado had a level of security in terms of his role that was always granted to him.
On the New York Knicks, particularly with Deuce McBride on the brink of a comeback, that guarantee might not exist. Everything is in the hands of head coach Mike Brown and whatever he sees fit.
Fortunately, Alvarado being forced into an uncomfortable and unusual position minutes-wise is not something the Knicks have to be concerned about. There is no doubt that he will take the late-season switch-up positively, because that’s just the player he is.
The Knicks snagged one of the most team-first players at the deadline in Alvarado. As he is aware that a championship run is on the line, he will prioritize what matters and cooperate rather than complain pessimistically, as some players might.
This is a testament to his values, goals, and approach, and ultimately speaks volumes about what he's learned throughout his journey from going undrafted.
Then, again, who knows, Brown might increase Alvarado’s minutes. He’s been playing extremely well in several different lineups and has built a connection with highly-regarded Knicks big man, Karl-Anthony Towns.
Nothing is certain right now, but a sacrifice for Alvarado could soon be in play. Luckily for the Knicks, he's the perfect kind of player to handle that kind of situation.