Jose Alvarado Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Alvarado, Pelicans, Morant, Edey, Adams, Rockets

October 26th, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Luke Adams

With Dejounte Murray sidelined for at least four-to-six weeks, the Pelicans will be counting on recently extended guard Jose Alvarado to move up the depth chart and take on a bigger role this fall, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com.

“Jose’s gotta step up big time for us,” head coach Willie Green said. “We all love Jose and we know he brings it night in and night out and we know he’s going to step right up to the plate and get it done for us.”

Alvarado played 13 minutes on Friday in New Orleans’ first game without Murray and contributed four assists and three steals, but also went scoreless and committed four turnovers. He’ll likely see more minutes in the days and weeks to come, but the Pelicans leaned more heavily on guards CJ McCollum (40 minutes) and Jordan Hawkins (29 minutes) to complete a comeback win over Portland on Friday.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

After missing most of last season due to a shoulder injury, Ja Morant looks fully healthy this fall, but only played 28 minutes in Wednesday’s opener and 24 on Friday. Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins, noting that Morant sat out three of five preseason games, said the team is still getting its star point guard up to full speed during a stretch of six games in nine days, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “We’re working with him and the medical team about how we want to deploy him over this stretch right now,” Jenkins said. “Obviously he was out for a portion of preseason, so getting his game legs and conditioning right.”
At the conclusion of the Grizzlies‘ loss to the Rockets on Friday, rookie Zach Edey met Steven Adams at halfcourt and spent more than two minutes talking to the former Grizzlies center. Edey, referring to the conversation as “big man stuff,” declined to go into specifics after the game, but said he welcomed the opportunity to get some advice from a player whose game he admires. “That’s somebody I’ve been watching for a while,” Edey said, according to Cole. “So everything he’s telling me, I’m listening to.”
The combination of Amen Thompson and Tari Eason on the second unit helped provide the shut-down defense the Rockets needed to pull away from Memphis in the second half of Friday’s game. As Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle details, the defensive potential of that Thompson/Eason duo off the bench is something that excites the team. “We always talk about what we can do defensively and how we’re going to be special if we’re locked in,” Eason said. “We just gave each other that look and talked with (head coach) Ime (Udoka) and knew we had to turn it up a notch.” Houston outscored the Grizzlies 25-11 in the 7:20 the two wings played together in the second half.

Pelicans Notes: Ingram, Centers, Williamson, Alvarado

October 2nd, 2024 at 10:59am CST by Luke Adams

It has become increasingly rare for a star player on an NBA team to go through the offseason prior to his contract year without being extended or traded, but that’s the situation that Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram finds himself in this fall.

As Christian Clark of NOLA.com writes, Ingram – who will become an unrestricted free agent in 2025 if he doesn’t sign a new contract before July – was asked this week about the possibility of signing a preseason extension. The former All-Star said he doesn’t “expect anything” and that he’s happy to focus on basketball.

“Me and (Pelicans head of basketball operations David Griffin) have had some conversations, a few conversations,” Ingram said on Monday at media day. “But at the end of the day, it’s a business. As long as I do the basketball part, the business is going to handle itself — whether it’s here or somewhere else. I just have to continue to put the work in.”

Griffin acknowledged that the situation has the potential to get awkward, but he expressed confidence that it won’t be a distraction for Ingram or the Pelicans due to the trust the two sides have in one another.

“The reason people don’t get into this situation is there is not a level of trust between the two parties that he could enter the year and perform at a high level and be about the right things and we would honor our commitment to him,” Griffin said, per Clark. “Neither party has that fear. It’s going to be a unique situation. I know what it’s supposed to look like is one thing or another. We’re not worried about that. He’s a really unique guy with a unique skill set.”

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

Although Ingram returned at the end of last season from the knee injury that sidelined him for 12 games, he admitted he wasn’t at full strength during the playoffs and that it took a while for him to get back to 100%. “Gone through some ups and downs trying to get the knee back healthy,” Ingram said, according to Clark. “It actually was a long summer trying to get the knee back healthy. I’ve been working out hard. Working out at 100%. I’m ready to go.” Griffin explained Ingram’s absence from a voluntary mini-camp in August by telling reporters, “(He) wasn’t ready for that physically, and he knew it.”
With Jonas Valanciunas and Larry Nance Jr. no longer on the roster, the Pelicans’ new group of centers is made up of journeyman Daniel Theis and rookies Yves Missi and Karlo Matkovic. There will be plenty of instances during the season when none of those bigs are on the floor for New Orleans, according to head coach Willie Green. “I’m not dead set on (starting a true center). I’m pretty undecided,” Green said (story via Will Guillory of The Athletic). “When we get to camp, I think your team helps you make those decisions. … There are going to be a ton of games when we don’t have a traditional center on the floor.”
While Zion Williamson will be the biggest player on the court in certain Pelicans lineups, Griffin pushed back against labeling the former Duke star a small-ball center, per Guillory. “Zion grew up a point guard. He grew up with the ball in his hands. He literally identifies the game by facing the basket and handling the ball,” Griffin said. “He’s never been traditional as a big in any way, shape or form. And yet, because he’s large, people want to make him a ‘big.’ He’s really not that.”
Taking more jump shots will be a priority for Zion this season, Griffin told reporters, including Clark. Williamson is on board with that plan, though he stressed that he’s not just focused on continuing to develop his offensive game and wants to make a real impact on defense too. “Whenever I’m in great condition, I feel like my play on both ends of the floor is at a high level,” Williamson said. “Not just one.”
In case you missed it, Jose Alvarado‘s two-year, $9MM contract extension with the Pelicans is now official. It features a flat structure, with a $4.5MM guaranteed salary in 2025/26 and a $4.5MM player option for ’26/27, Hoops Rumors has confirmed.

Pelicans, Jose Alvarado Complete Two-Year Extension

September 30th, 2024 at 7:47pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 30: The Pelicans have issued a press release officially announcing Alvarado’s extension.

SEPTEMBER 28: The Pelicans and guard Jose Alvarado have agreed to a two-year contract extension worth $9MM, agent Ron Shade tells Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Alvarado is earning $1,988,598 in 2024/25 in the final year of his current minimum-salary contract. That salary, which had been non-guaranteed, will become fully guaranteed as part of the agreement, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

The new extension will begin next July and will include a player option for the ’26/27 season, according to Charania.

Alvarado, 26, has spent the past three seasons in New Orleans after going undrafted out of Georgia Tech in 2021. He emerged as a regular contributor for the Pelicans as a rookie free agent in 2021/22, earning a promotion from his two-way contract to the standard roster near the end of that season, and has maintained his place in the team’s rotation since then.

In 2023/24, Alvarado averaged 7.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals in 18.4 minutes per game across 56 appearances off the bench. Nicknamed “Grand Theft Alvarado” for his habit of making highlight-reel steals, the Pelicans guard posted a shooting line of .412/.377/.673 and finished sixth in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season.

The maximum extension that Alvarado could have signed would’ve been similar to the one Andrew Nembhard received from Indiana, worth over $18MM in 2025/26. While that would’ve been an overpay, the Pelicans did very well to lock up the reserve guard for an additional season at just $4.5MM, a bargain for any effective rotation player. If he continues to produce in New Orleans, Alvarado could opt out in 2026 and seek a more lucrative deal at that time.

The Pelicans now have seven players on guaranteed contracts for the 2025/26 season, with Jordan Hawkins likely to join that group in the next few weeks when the team exercises his rookie scale team option. Brandon Ingram (unrestricted) and Trey Murphy (restricted) will be among New Orleans’ 2025 free agents if they don’t sign extensions of their own.

Pelicans Exercising Options On Alvarado, Robinson-Earl

June 28th, 2024 at 11:30am CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans will pick up their team options on point guard Jose Alvarado and power forward/center Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, a source tells Christian Clark of NOLA (Twitter link).

Alvardo, 26, has been a valuable reserve for New Orleans over the past three seasons and finished sixth in this year’s Sixth Man of the Year balloting after averaging 7.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 56 games. His $1.99MM salary for next season will remain non-guaranteed, but he’s obviously still in the Pelicans’ plans and is in no danger of getting waived.

The decision means Alvarado’s free agency will be unrestricted in 2025, rather than restricted this summer. He will be eligible to sign an extension anytime during the 2024/25 league year.

Robinson-Earl, 23, signed a two-way contract with New Orleans in November after being waived by Houston. He was converted to a standard deal in February that included a $2.2MM team option for 2024/25. He appeared in 39 games last season, averaging 2.9 points and 1.9 assists in 8.6 minutes per night.

Robinson-Earl will also be on track for unrestricted free agency in 2025 with his option exercised.

Pelicans Notes: Murphy, Alvarado, Valanciunas, Draft, Arena

May 22nd, 2024 at 9:56pm CST by Arthur Hill

A rookie scale extension for Trey Murphy will be one of the Pelicans‘ offseason priorities, but it will take a significant offer to make it happen, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Clark sees a new contract for Murphy falling somewhere between the four-year, $94.5MM deal that Brooklyn gave Cameron Johnson last summer and the five-year pact Devin Vassell signed with San Antonio that includes $135MM in guaranteed money.

Murphy came off the bench in 34 of the 57 games he played this season, but Clark points to an April matchup with Golden State as evidence that he can handle a full-time starting role. With Brandon Ingram sidelined by an injury, Murphy scored 24 points and sank six three-pointers, three of which were from 30 feet or longer.

New Orleans reportedly plans to explore trades involving Ingram this summer, creating an opportunity for Murphy to replace him in the starting lineup. Clark views Murphy as a better fit alongside Zion Williamson and Herbert Jones, adding that all three will be under long-term deals if Murphy signs an extension.

There’s more from New Orleans:

The Pelicans are very likely to pick up their $1.99MM team option on Jose Alvarado, Keith Smith of Spotrac states in an offseason overview of the team. Option decisions on Jeremiah Robinson-Earl ($2.2MM) and Matt Ryan ($2.4MM) are less certain, but Smith expects New Orleans to keep both players unless the front office decides it needs to open a roster spot. The more difficult choices, according to Smith, are what to do with center Jonas Valanciunas and small forward Naji Marshall, who will both be unrestricted free agents if they don’t agree to extensions by late June. Smith expects a one- or two-year deal for Valanciunas if he’s brought back, while Marshall seems likely to wind up elsewhere.
The Pelicans need to find a big man in the draft, and there should be plenty of decent options when they pick at No. 21, Smith adds, listing Zach Edey, Yves Missi, DaRon Holmes II and Kel’el Ware as players who could still be on the board. Smith expects New Orleans to defer the first-round pick that it’s owed from the Lakers, which is at No. 17, and take L.A.’s first-rounder next year instead.
The Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District voted to delay planned improvements to Smoothie King Center because Pelicans owner Gayle Benson, who also owns the NFL’s Saints, is delinquent on payments for upgrades to the Superdome, Clark and Jeff Duncan write in a separate story. ASM Global, which manages the Superdome, contends the Saints are $11.5MM behind and haven’t made a payment since December. The NFL team issued a statement (via Twitter) saying it has no problem paying the $11.5MM — or its $41MM share of the $58MM project — but added, “We have, however, asked for certain documentation over an extended period and we have not received that documentation.” Last year, the Pelicans extended their lease at the arena through June of 2029.

Wolves’ Naz Reid Named Sixth Man Of The Year

April 24th, 2024 at 5:46pm CST by Rory Maher

Timberwolves big man Naz Reid has been named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year for the 2023/24 season, the league announced on Wednesday evening (via Twitter).

A former undrafted free agent, Reid averaged 13.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG and 0.9 BPG on .477/.414/.736 shooting in 81 games this season (24.2 MPG).

Reid is the first player in Timberwolves franchise history to win the Sixth Man award, per a team press release.

The 24-year-old was a major reason why Minnesota didn’t skip a beat when Karl-Anthony Towns was sidelined with a knee injury late in the season. The Wolves went 14-6 without Towns and 56-26 overall, good for the No. 3 seed in the West.

The voting was remarkably close (Twitter link via the NBA). In fact, it was the smallest margin between first- and second-place finishers since the current voting format was implemented 21 years ago, according to the league (via Twitter).

Reid finished with 45 first-place votes, 39 second-place votes and 10 third-place votes for a total of 352 points. Runner-up Malik Monk had the exact same number of second- and third-place votes, but finished with two fewer first-place votes for 342 total points.

Kings guard Monk appeared in 72 games this season for Sacramento, all off the bench. He averaged 15.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG and 5.1 APG on .443/.350/.829 shooting in 26.0 MPG.

Bucks big man Bobby Portis, who finished third in Sixth Man voting last season, finished a distant third again in ’23/24, receiving 81 total points. He averaged 13.8 PPG and 7.4 RPG on .508/.407/.790 shooting without missing a game this season for Milwaukee (24.5 MPG).

Clippers wing Norman Powell (65 points) and Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (40 points) finished fourth and fifth in voting, respectively. No other player received more than three points.

Powell actually received the most third-place votes of any player, but fewer first- and second-place votes than Portis, which is why he finished behind Milwaukee’s forward/center.

Jose Alvarado, Russell Westbrook, T.J. McConnell, Jonathan Isaac, Jaime Jaquez, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Bojan Bogdanovic all received at least one vote.

Injury Updates: Mitchell, Okoro, Luka, Sengun, Pelicans

April 7th, 2024 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

The struggling Cavaliers, who have lost seven of their past 10 games, will be without leading scorer Donovan Mitchell on Sunday vs. the Clippers, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, who tweets that Mitchell is out due to injury management related to his knee.

On the plus side, Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro is on track to return after missing the past four games with a toe injury (Twitter link via Fedor).

At 46-32, the Cavs still hold the No. 3 spot in the East, but they’re only a half-game ahead of both Orlando and New York, so they’re in danger of losing home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

After missing Friday’s win over Golden State, Mavericks star Luka Doncic (right knee soreness) will be back in action on Sunday vs. Houston, the team confirmed (via Twitter). A strong finish in the season’s final week would ensure that the 47-30 Mavs secure a top-six seed in the West — they’re currently at No. 5.
Even with the Rockets slipping out of the play-in race, center Alperen Sengun hasn’t given up hope of returning to the court this season, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). Sengun, who injured his right ankle and knee on March 10, estimated that he’s about 60% recovered, per Feigen, and has begun “light mobility work,” according to head coach Ime Udoka. He hasn’t been ruled out for the season, but it would be a bit surprising if he returned to just play a game or two after Houston is officially eliminated from postseason contention. “Maybe he gets on the court, but it’s nothing we discussed yet,” Udoka said.
Pelicans wing Naji Marshall, who left Friday’s game with a left shoulder contusion, didn’t practice on Saturday and is considered questionable to play in Sunday’s game in Phoenix, tweets Erin Summers of Bally Sports. Zion Williamson (left finger contusion) and Jose Alvarado (right oblique strain) are also listed as questionable, but they both practiced on Saturday.

Southwest Notes: Daniels, Ingram, Jones, Whitmore, Wemby

March 30th, 2024 at 2:40pm CST by Luke Adams

Pelicans guard Dyson Daniels, who has been sidelined since February 9 due to knee surgery, has been cleared to return for Saturday’s game vs. Boston, tweets Christian Clark of NOLA.com.

Daniels wasn’t a major part of the Pelicans’ offensive attack earlier in the season, averaging a modest 5.5 points per game on 43.8% shooting (29.1% on threes). However, he started 15 of his 52 games and played 21.9 minutes per contest, in large part due to his defensive prowess. Assuming he’s not slowed by his knee at all, Daniels figures to reclaim a rotation role down the stretch.

There’s also good news out of New Orleans on injured forward Brandon Ingram, who was able to do some on-court work on Friday in what William Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link) describes as a positive step in his recovery from a knee contusion. Ingram will reportedly remain sidelined until at least Friday, but perhaps by next weekend he’ll be nearing a return.

Meanwhile, the Pelicans will be without guard Jose Alvarado on Saturday for a second straight game due to a right oblique strain, per the NBA’s official injury report. It’s unclear how much more time – if any – Alvarado might miss as a result of that injury.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Christian Clark of NOLA.com makes the case for Herbert Jones to claim a spot on this season’s All-Defensive first team, explaining why the player that Pelicans teammates describe as “our defensive leader” deserves the honor.
After missing the past nine games due to a sprained right knee, Rockets rookie Cam Whitmore believes he’s on the verge of returning to action. According to Whitmore, he’s working on getting his conditioning back to 100% and hopes to be cleared in time to suit up against Dallas on Sunday, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). “I feel fine. There’s no pain (in the knee),” he said. “No tweaks, no issues, no nothing. I feel back to normal. I just have to feel better moving around laterally.”
Now that he has appeared in the requisite 65 games, Victor Wembanyama deserves serious consideration for this season’s Defensive Player of the Year award, writes Mike Monroe of The Athletic. “If you just watch the game you see how (Wembanyama) affects the game defensively,” Spurs guard Tre Jones said. “It’s tough because of our record, but I think most people know he’s already the best defender in the league. He’s already leading the league in blocks; leads in blocks and steals combined, more than previous NBA Defensive Player of the Year winners.”
Count Jalen Brunson among Wembanyama’s fans. After the Spurs‘ No. 1 overall pick racked up 40 points and 20 rebounds en route to an overtime win against the Knicks on Friday, Brunson – who scored 61 points in the losing effort – predicted that Wembanyama will be “one of the greatest players this game has seen,” tweets Paul Garcia of Project Spurs. “Just the way he’s built and what he’s been able to do so far,” Brunson said. “Got a lot of respect for him and it’s definitely tough to get a shot up and in over him.”

Southwest Notes: Exum, Alvarado, Grizzlies, Rockets

March 21st, 2024 at 2:51pm CST by Rory Maher

In an interesting story for Yahoo Sports, Jake Fischer describes how Mavericks guard Dante Exum was able to make it back to the NBA after spending two seasons out of the league.

An Australian who sustained multiple major injuries early in his career, Exum only had G League offers in the U.S. and Canada after he was released by Houston in October 2021, and he decided that playing in Europe (for Barcelona and Partizan) was a better pathway for his future.

“It’s always a risk. Not many people go to Europe and are able to come back,” Exum said. “It’s hard to get back.”

Exum, 28, was considered a raw prospect when he was drafted fifth overall back in 2014. While he showed promise defensively and as a play-maker, he often struggled with scoring efficiency. However, he posted impressive shooting splits in Europe and that has continued in his first season in Dallas — he’s shooting 50% from deep (40-of-80) through 43 games (19.4 MPG), with an excellent 65.6 true shooting percentage.

“I think it’s just comfortability, consistency and confidence,” Exum said, per Fischer. “That was the one thing I’ve tried to improve. But I think a lot of times when you’re shooting and you miss one, you kinda get in your head a little bit. I try not to let that happen anymore. At what point do you become a shooter in the sense of how many am I willing to miss before I stop shooting? And I want that number to be high.”

The Mavericks have been much better when Exum is on the court in 2023/24, Fischer writes, particularly when he’s been paired with Luka Doncic. Exum’s $3.15MM salary for next season is non-guaranteed, but it would be surprising if Dallas doesn’t keep him around, considering how well he has fit in as a role player.

Here’s more from the Southwest:

Pelicans backup point guard Jose Alvarado makes a big impact on the defensive end despite his diminutive stature, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com (subscriber link). “It starts with his heart,” head coach Willie Green said. “He plays with his heart and soul every game. It’s hard to bottle that up into a stat. Then you add his instincts. He has tremendous on-court defensive instincts. It’s why he was ACC Defensive Player of the Year. With all the talent in that conference, it was him. He only knows how to play one way. That’s the beautiful part about Jose. He brings it 110% every time he steps on the floor.” New Orleans has a 104.9 defensive rating — 3.5 points per 100 possessions stingier than Minnesota’s league-best mark — when Alvarado is on the court, Clark notes.
The injury-ravaged Grizzlies set an unfortunate franchise record on Wednesday when 10-day signee Maozinha Pereira made his NBA debut, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. The Brazilian forward, who had been playing for Mexico City in the G League, became the 29th player to appear in a game for the Grizzlies this season, breaking a 28-player mark set in two previous seasons.
Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscriber link) lists 14 college prospects for Rockets fans to monitor with the NCAA Tournament underway. Some players mentioned include Purdue’s Zach Edey, UConn’s Stephon Castle and Donovan Clingan, and Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham. The Rockets control Brooklyn’s 2024 first-round pick, which is currently projected to be No. 8 overall. The fate of their own first-rounder depends on multiple different factors, but as of right now it would likely be conveyed to Oklahoma City as part of a previous trade.

Five Players Suspended For Friday Altercation Between Heat, Pelicans

February 25th, 2024 at 1:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Heat big man Thomas Bryant and Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado have been suspended three games apiece for leaving the bench area and fighting during an on-court altercation on Friday in New Orleans, the NBA announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

Additionally, Heat forward Jimmy Butler and Pelicans forward Naji Marshall will face one-game suspensions for instigating the incident, while Heat forward Nikola Jovic will be suspended for one game for leaving Miami’s bench area and entering the fracas, per the league.

The incident began when Heat forward/center Kevin Love wrapped up Zion Williamson as the Pelicans star attempted a layup early in the fourth quarter (Twitter video link). Marshall objected to the play and rushed to confront Love, resulting in Marshall and Butler getting into a shoving match, with players and coaches from both teams looking to intercede.

The altercation escalated briefly, then seemed to be cooling down before Bryant and Alvarado exchanged heated words and threw punches in front of the scorer’s table (Twitter video link). Butler, Bryant, Marshall, and Alvarado were all ejected from the game, which Miami eventually won.

The Pelicans will host the Bulls on Sunday, so Marshall will serve his one-game suspension tonight, while Alvardo will begin serving his three-game ban. Alvarado will miss games in New York on Tuesday and Indiana on Wednesday as well.

With Dyson Daniels (left knee) and CJ McCollum (left ankle) also unavailable for the Pelicans on Sunday and Williamson (left foot) and Brandon Ingram (non-COVID illness) considered questionable, the team recalled a handful of players – Jalen Crutcher, E.J. Liddell, Malcolm Hill, and Dereon Seabron – from the G League on Saturday for depth purposes.

The Heat will be in action on Monday in Sacramento, so Bryant, Butler, and Jovic will miss that game, with Bryant also sitting out the team’s contests in Portland on Tuesday and Denver on Thursday.

The three-game suspensions will cost Bryant $52,308 (of his $2,528,233 salary) and Alvarado $37,988 (of $1,836,096), per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter links).

Because he’s on a maximum-salary contract, Butler will forfeit by far the biggest total ($259,968) of any of the five affected players, despite being suspended for just a single game. Jovic will lose $13,517, while Marshall will lose $11,096.