Knicks, Pelicans trade grades for Jose Alvarado deal

NBA the trade deadline was nothing short of chaoticwhile big and small moves are being made around the league. For most teams, they are looking to build for the future, while others are making moves to compete now and make a run in the second half of the season.

As for New York Knicksthey are currently #2 in the Eastern Conference, and while they seem to have everything they need, you can always be better. That’s why they are made a move yes acquire Jose Alvarado from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Dalen Terry, two second-round picks and cash.

For the Pelicans, this deadline seems to be quiet for them, and it was assumed that they would not make any big moves, even though they do not have their first round pick in 2026.

Let’s evaluate what this trade does for both teams.

The Knicks are getting an energetic point guard in Jose Alvarado

Alvarado has made a name for himself throughout the league and is known as “Grand Theft Alvarado” for his intensity on both sides of the ball. Defensively, he gives up a few inches, but you can’t tell by the way he plays. He makes up for it by being sneaky and stealing the ball when you least expect it, which he has been very successful at doing throughout his career.

He fits in wherever he needs to in the offense, and has shot the three-pointer consistently (36%) this season.

If you look at what Alvarado did for the Pelicans, he has similar traits to what Josh Hart did for the Knicks. That’s good news for the Knicks, as they have two players who play bigger than them and are willing to get their hands dirty.

With news that Myles McBride will undergo surgery and could be out until the playoffs, this was a good move for the Knicks, and he should be good for the team for the rest of the season.

Knicks trade grade: A-

Pelicans get funds for the future, plus a young player

For a team that doesn’t have a first-round pick and sits at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, the Pelicans have been quiet. With the Alvarado trade, they could get picks and cash in return, which helps them in the future, and no one knows at this point what that will look like.

The Chicago Bulls just traded Terry to the Knicks for Gershon Yabusele, and it seems like they had no plans to keep him. He will now head to the Pelicans, where there is a chance he will see some minutes off the bench. In defense, he showed the most flashes, because he is good at rebounding the ball and can guard several positions on the floor.

With this move, the Pelicans could have gotten some picks to work with in the future, and the player that will be nice depth with Alvarado is gone.

Pelicans trade class: B