Jose Alvarado Assures He Always Wanted to Return to Knicks

This offseason, the New York Knicks did not make many notable offseason additions, and instead, they decided to bring back in-house veteran free agents. One of those free agents they brought back was guard Jose Alvarado. 

Alvarado, 28, was one of the pieces off the bench that contributed to the Knicks' championship run, and he had big moments that gave the team a lot of energy. He signed back with the Knicks on a three-year, $14.3 million deal, and to him, New York was always the place he wanted to be in. 

"In my mind, yeah. 'I want to stay here, I want to stay home.' We had a chance to do that, and we did it," Alvarado said. 

Last season, Jose Alvarado was traded to New York midseason from the New Orleans Pelicans. He averaged 7.4 points per game, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. In the postseason, his stats were not notable, but he had a memorable Game 4 of the NBA Finals. He had clutch three-point shots and gave the Knicks a lot of energy. 

Moving forward, he won't be asked to be an elite scorer; instead, the front office will likely want him to be himself and play with enough intensity that it radiates through the whole team. 

Since joining the Knicks, Alvarado has become very connected with the organization and its fanbase, and it's hard to imagine that the team will ask him to play a role he's not capable of playing.  Keeping him around was essential for team morale and chemistry, and it's a move that made sense for both sides. 

Now, with these veterans being brought back, the attention goes to the starting lineup, as three key starters will be ready to sign extensions within the next year. Guards Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson will have a decision made on them in 2027, and Hart is currently eligible for one right now. 

Center Karl-Anthony Towns is also eligible for a contract extension right now, and it's clear the Knicks' priority is to keep this championship core together. 

Looking ahead to next season, it will be interesting to see how Jose Alvarado will perform now that he's had a full offseason with the Knicks, coming off a championship season. One element that could help New York make another deep playoff run is continuity, and with that and a high team morale, this Knicks have a chance to repeat.