Pelicans' 'injury curse' extends to the summer

Playing for Puerto Rico in the FIBA AmeriCup tournament Thursday night, Alvarado took a hard fall and was taken off the court on a stretcher. He was taken to a hospital in Nicaragua as his team fell to Argentina in overtime, 82-77.

After the game, Alvarado reassured fans with a message on Instagram: "Appreciate the love y'all. But your boy good. God got me." 

The Pelicans and their fans might not be reassured, after a season where Alvarado missed 26 games — and was one of the team's healthiest players. Brandin Ingram played 18 games before he was traded. Herb Jones was limited to 20 appearances. Dejounte Murray played 31 games after breaking his hand on opening night and then tearing his Achilles Jan. 31. Zion Williamson only played 30 games.

Before his injury Thursday, Alvarado was showing why he's so valuable to the Pelicans. He scored a game-high 25 points, made seven three-pointers and lived up to his "Grand Theft Alvarado" nickname with three steals.

With Murray likely to miss the entire season, Alvarado's presence becomes even more necessary. New Orleans has 18-year-old rookie Jeremiah Fears and Jordan Poole at guard, not an imposing defensive backcourt. Nor is it a big one. Fears is listed at 6-foot-4 and 182 pounds, Poole is 6-foot-4, 194 pounds. Alvarado stands perhaps 6 feet tall, weighing 179 pounds.

As we saw Thursday night, those slight frames leave a player more vulnerable to injury, especially as all three of those guards thrive on drives and drawing contact from defenders. Of course, the Pelicans' biggest injury issue is with Williamson, whose problems seem to stem for him having a frame that's too ample.

The Pelicans' moves this offseason seemed geared towards going for it in the next two seasons — they traded a 2026 first-round pick to move up to draft big man Derik Queen, who has already had wrist surgery thanks to his own summer injury. They also added two expensive years of Poole. But what they didn't add was depth.

New Orleans has invested in players ahead of the 2025-26 season. It might be time to invest in a bigger medical staff as well.