Earlier this summer, the New York Knicks tied Jose Alvarado down to a three-year $14 million contract extension.
Alvarado joined the Knicks via trade at the February trade deadline. New York sent out Dalen Terry, two second-round draft picks and cash considerations to the New Orleans Pelicans as their part of the deal.
Since arriving in New York, Alvarado’s hometown, he’s been a near-perfect fit. The energetic guard played in 28 regular-season games for Mike Brown’s team, averaging 6.6 points, 3.8 assists and 2 rebounds per game off the bench. He then went on to average 9.4 minutes per game in New York’s championship-winning playoff run.
With all this in mind, ESPN’s Zach Kram, who recently graded every offseason move so far, gave the Knicks an A+ for extending Alvarado’s stay.
“The Knicks must be breathing a sigh of relief that they were able to retain Alvarado for this price,” Kram wrote. “The backup point guard likely could have earned more money in 2026-27 if he’d declined his $4.5 million player option and reached the open market, but he evidently decided to give New York a hometown discount and accept a smaller payment next season in exchange for a greater long-term guarantee.”
Alvarado will undoubtedly continue to fill an important role for the Knicks moving forward.
Knicks Got A Strong Grade For Adding Drummond
When Mitchell Robinson left the Knicks at the start of free agency, there were legitimate questions as to how New York was going to replace his rebounding. However, the addition of Andre Drummond quickly eased those concerns.
When grading Drummond’s move to New York, Kram gave the Knicks a B+.
“Stylistically, the Knicks couldn’t have found a better replacement for Mitchell Robinson,” Kram wrote. “He and Drummond are massive centers, indefatigable rebounders and poor free-throw shooters.”
Kram continued.
“Robinson is the best offensive rebounder in the NBA, but so too was Drummond, once upon a time. He led the league in offensive boards per game from 2013-14 through 2019-20, and his per-36 numbers remain similar to this day. When Drummond enters games, he’ll give the Knicks this same offensive advantage that Robinson did.”
Drummond’s experience and rebounding will both be key for Brown’s team next season.
Knicks Still Need One Move To Complete Roster
Despite a strong offseason for the Knicks, there’s still one more move the franchise must make: adding a third-string big man. New York is one center short following the departure of Ariel Hukporti.
The Knicks have already missed out on Jonas Valanciunas. They also received a tough blow when the Dallas Mavericks matched their offer sheet to Moussa Cisse. As such, it will be interesting to see how the front office pivots and who they target next.
Fortunately for the Knicks, there are still multiple big men remaining on the free agency market. A large portion of those available talents should be able to fulfill a role as the third-string center within Brown’s rotation.
Nevertheless, as things currently stand, there’s no telling who the Knicks are going to target, or if they’re going to target anyone at all.
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