The Under-the-Radar Player the Nuggets Should Target

Alvarado, 27, has spent the first five years of his career with the New Orleans Pelicans, but it would be interesting to see what he can do on a contender. The six-foot point guard is a tenacious and feisty defender who can handle the ball on offense and be a key distributor.

This season, Alvarado is averaging 7.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and one steal per game, while shooting 42.4% from the field and 36.3% from three-point range. If the Nuggets are looking for someone who can put full-court pressure on the opposing point guard and be a pesky defender, while being able to knock down a three, then Alvarado seems like the obvious option.

Alvarado is making just $4.5 million this season with a player option worth the same price next season, giving the Nuggets the opportunity to shed some money in the process. Alvarado is the true point guard that the Nuggets could be looking for to back up Jamal Murray, and their second-string backcourt of him and Bruce Brown would certainly give opposing offenses fits.

The Pelicans seem to be having a fire sale heading into the trade deadline, with the exception of a few of their big names, and it would be shocking if Alvarado were not moved next week. The Nuggets could look to get Alvarado by giving up Zeke Nnaji and a second-rounder, which would be an ideal move.

Why the Nuggets might stay away from Alvarado

Of course, the idea of having a pesky, playmaking point guard on the bench seems great, but there are a couple of reasons why the Nuggets might not take this direction.

While Alvarado is a disruptive and pesky player on defense, he is not a lockdown defender that some think he is. In a playoff series, opposing teams would likely expose Alvarado's size on defense, and since his offensive game is already limited, he could become unplayable as the Nuggets get deeper in the postseason.

While that might not be the case, it is a legitimate reason to be concerned about the move. We have not seen Alvarado be a legitimate difference-maker in a playoff series through his five-year career, and while moving to a winning environment could serve him well, it would be a risk.

Alvarado's injuries are also a concern, as the Nuggets likely only want to bring in players with good health after what they have dealt with this season. Alvarado has missed 12 games this season and has never played more than 61 games through his first four seasons.

The Nuggets might also be looking to trade for an expiring contract, and keeping Alvarado on the books next season, if he picks up his player option, might not be the move they want.

All in all, it could be a good move for the Nuggets, especially to give them some extra backcourt depth, but they could be disappointed by the impact he would make in the playoffs.