Feb 21, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) celebrates after scoring in the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Jose Alvarado Tells All About Joining Knicks

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jayesh Pagar | Last updated Mar 6, 2026 4:00 PM ET

Brooklyn's own Jose Alvarado is finally home, and he's pretty much vocal about what that means to him. The New York Knicks guard recently appeared on the Roommates Show podcast, hosted by teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart. There, he talked about the trade, the locker room, and what playing for New York truly feels like from the inside.

The trade itself was anything but smooth. Alvarado admitted things were uncertain right up until deadline day.

"It was quiet. I mean, we knew something could happen, but nothing for sure," he said.

"The last day it just got a little hectic. They communicated with me around like 11:00 that this was going to happen." The first calls he made were personal ones. "The first person I called was my parents and then Josh," he said.

Once he arrived, the welcome was warm and immediate.

"The guys made it easy for me," Alvarado said. "Being around the team made me feel comfortable right away." The message was simple from day one.

"They told me to just be myself," he added. "Adjusting to what they had going on was pretty simple for me." For a guy playing in his hometown, that comfort goes beyond basketball. "Playing for my city is definitely something special. I was raised there. Playing for my city is definitely a dream."

Can Jose Alvarado Handle the Knicks' Road Trip?

After‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ coming to New York, Alvarado has been able to deliver on average 7.5 points, 3.8 assists, and 2.5 rebounds in 11 games for the Knicks. Those are quite good numbers considering a bench player.

His last few games in March saw fewer shots but more playmaking, including five assists against Toronto on March 3rd. Now comes a brutal five-game road stretch against Denver, the Lakers, the Clippers, Utah, and Indiana.

Alvarado has averaged 9.0 points and 2.9 assists in 15 career games against the Lakers, including a 27-point explosion against them last April. Well, it's a sign he's capable of handling pressure on the road.

When‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ playing against Denver and Indiana, the two teams that can be really physical and focus mostly on defense, scoring is a less important part of his game than causing disruption. He should play his signature pressure defense, manage to get some steals, and lead quick breaks in ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌transition.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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