The New York Knicks laid the groundwork at the trade deadline to benefit from some storybook-worthy momentum in the NBA Playoffs. Their early-February trade for Jose Alvarado both filled a need for a back-up ball handler and brought a Brooklynite back home to New York City.
But head coach Mike Brown looks all but locked into leaving the point guard out of the Knicks' playoff rotation. With the resurgence of veteran guard Jordan Clarkson and Alvarado's myriad struggles since New York acquired him, the decision makes sense.
That doesn't mean it isn't still sure to break the hearts of New Yorkers who were excited to see the guard potentially swing a playoff game in their favor.
Jury still out on Knicks' Alvarado trade but early returns look rough
By pulling off the pair of trades that landed Alvarado on their roster on the day of the trade deadline, the Knicks' front office injected a player known primarily for his grit and hustle into a roster that had infamously struggled with complacency earlier in the season.
Jalen Brunson went as far as to describe Alvarado's energy as a skill. Head coach Mike Brown went as far as to say that both because of his demeanor, and his unteachable quickness out on the court, the point guard with Puerto Rican roots was "irreplaceable" to New York's efforts.
But that impact clearly wasn't enough to guarantee the guard a spot in the team's playoff rotation. Ahead of the Knicks' win over the Boston Celtics at the close of their regular season, Brown revealed to reporters at Madison Square Garden that the nine players that saw playing time that Monday in Atlanta would likely comprise his playoff lineup.
The coach went on to use the same nine-man rotation in that Thursday game against the Celtics, and seemingly would have the next day against the Toronto Raptors if not for the team's restriction on Robinson's availability in back-to-backs.
Alvarado's surprising exclusion from playoff rotation didn't end his year
Just because the guard isn't slated to contribute as part of the Knicks' rotation to begin the playoffs, that doesn't mean that he's bound to the bench for however long the team's playoff run lasts.
Alvarado might be tasked with coming in and providing a burst of energy on both ends of the floor in any game where the Knicks are down big. While it may seem like a set-up for failure, serving as the team's "mop-up reliever" could help preserve the health of guards like Jalen Brunson – the team's Captain.
And in any set of circumstances where a guard ahead of Alvarado in the rotation does sustain an injury, the Brooklynite will be right there and ready to sub in.
Alvarado might have a big playoff run ahead of him, despite his exclusion from Brown's initial plans. If the NBA's postseason has taught us anything over the years, it's that things don't always go according to plan anyway.
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