We all know the Chicago Bulls were pivotal to the New York Knicks’ acquisition of Jose Alvarado. But the extent of their role was apparently undersold, hinging on a promise no other team seemed willing to make. Moreover, it turns out that without Chicago’s pinky-swearing in advance of the trade deadline, New York would be up You-Know-What’s creek, and paddle-less.
Reporting for The Stein Line, insider Jake Fischer confirmed what we knew all along: that convincing the New Orleans Pelicans to ship out Alvarado was contingent upon finding another home for Yabusele. We also know that may have proved undoable without him declining his 2026-27 player option. Yet, the “why” behind Yabusele doing a major solid for a team that exiled him from its rotation was all conjecture. Until now.
According to Fischer, “league sources have confirmed various reports elsewhere that Yabusele told the Knicks that he was willing to surrender next season's $5.7 million player option if it meant getting him to a team that could offer playing time.” He also adds that failure to do so could have otherwise prevented Alvarado’s arrival.
Enter the Bulls. They promised to give Yabusele court time, which they wouldn’t have done if not for Zach Collins’ injury, and more importantly, their decision to flip Nikola Vucevic for Anfernee Simons. So really, New York owes a hearty “Thank you” to the rival Boston Celtics as well. Chicago doesn’t make an oath to play the Knicks’ offseason bust if Vooch is still on the roster.
Regardless of which team deserves the most credit (it’s the Bulls), the outcome to Chicago’s Yabusele pledge is already paying massive dividends for New York.
Jose Alvarado is more important to the Knicks than even they though
Urgency skyrocketed as Deuce McBride continued to rack up absences with what everyone thought was an ankle injury. It reached “Threat Level: Holy Crap” when it was revealed he’d miss extensive time to undergo surgery on a core-muscle issue.
Alvarado instantly became mission critical to the Knicks’ rotation before ever putting on a jersey. That type of immediate pressure can be a springboard for disappointment. The 27-year-old is instead living up to the responsibility foisted upon him. And then some.
The defensive pressure and overall energy is as advertised. Both are also proving infectious. The Knicks move with a different cadence, a certain swagger, when Alvarado is blanketing opponents, sometimes needling them until he’s entirely under their skin.
Five games into his New York tenure, the relentless guard already has two hallmark performances under his belt. There was his history-making 8-of-13 detonation from beyond the arc in a win over the Sixers. Then, most recently, he played a huge role in the Knicks’ come-from-behind victory against the Houston Rockets. Not only did he force three steals in a sub-four-minute span during the fourth quarter, but he closed the game while Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and Mitchell Robinson all watched from the bench.
The results line up with the eye test. New York has outscored opponents by 49 points with him on the court. That’s the second-highest mark on the team since he arrived. Lineups with him and Karl-Anthony Towns are so far killing it—including on defense.
It’s important not to overstate the value of a reserve guard. Hope can too quickly mutate into hyperbole. Under the circumstances, though, it’s neither hopeful nor hyperbolic to claim Alvarado is altering the course, if possibly saving, the Knicks’ season. It’s just a fact.