During the twilight hours before the February 5 deadline, the New York Knicks managed to land their long-time trade target, Jose Alvarado.
Per NBA insider Shams Charania, Leon Rose and company acquired the fifth-year guard from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Dalen Terry, two second-round picks, and cash considerations.
At face value, this deal seems like a celebration-inducing move for the title-hungry Knicks.
All season long, it's been well understood that they've been coveting extra backcourt depth to help share the load with ball-handling duties with Jalen Brunson resting up on the pine, while making up for the star's defensive lapses when sharing the floor together.
Simply put, Alvarado checks off both boxes with ease.
However, when looking at the big picture, there's a case to be made that this trade was pursued more out of necessity than mere luxury, and the latest news regarding Miles McBride all but confirms this.
Injuries have taken their toll on Knicks here in 2025-26
It's incredibly impressive that the Knicks have maintained a top-three rank in the Eastern Conference standings for the majority of this year's campaign, as they've been plagued by injuries since the beginning.
From mainstays like OG Anunoby and Josh Hart to key role players such as Landry Shamet, coach Mike Brown has seen a large chunk of his rotation go down as a result of chomps from the injury bug.
Deuce McBride is the latest recipient of a bite, as it was announced soon after the Alvarado deal that the fifth-year guard is set to undergo surgery to repair a core muscle injury, and, per The Athletic's James L. Edwards and Fred Katz, there's a real possibility that he could miss the rest of the regular season.
With this, the state of New York's backcourt rotation has now reached a season low.
Yes, having Brunson, a top-15 player in the association, leading the charge at the one is an undeniable blessing, but his injury history is quite extensive, especially when it comes to his long list of ankle ailments.
With McBride shelved, the Knicks were likely to be looking toward guys like sophomore Tyler Kolek and Hart, a traditional wing, as his primary understudies, which, though both have shown flashes when entrusted with running an offense, this assortment is by no means trustworthy for a team looking to contend this year like New York is.
So while Alvarado's arrival does, in fact, add much-needed diversity and depth to the club's rather barren backcourt, the move is also a stark reminder of just how fragile this Knicks team has become.