Fans reacts after New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado (15) hits a three pointer against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans on Friday, January 30, 2026. (Staff photo by Brett Duke, The Times-Picayune)
STAFF PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE
You were probably hoping executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars would make a trade that would energize the New Orleans Pelicans’ fanbase, much like Jose Alvardo so often does.
It didn't happen.
A team that needed a spark instead gave away the one player who was their spark.
The New Orleans Pelicans, winners of just 13 games this season, traded Alvarado to the New York Knicks on Thursday.
Those chants of “Joseeeeee, Jose, Jose, Joseeeeee” that so often filled the Smoothie King Center will now echo even louder in Madison Square Garden. Alvarado, a Brooklyn native, will become a fan favorite in the Big Apple just like he did in the Big Easy. Knicks super fan Spike Lee will now have to settle for being the second-most energetic guy in the building.
Moving on from Alvarado wasn’t that big of a surprise. After all, he has a $4.5 million player option remaining on his deal after this season. The Knicks coveted Alvarado. They feel he's the missing piece that can get them over the hump and help them win their first NBA title since 1973. In exchange, the Pelicans received shooting guard Dalen Terry, two second-round draft picks and some cash.
The trade deadline came and went without Dumars making any major upgrades. The second half of the season will likely be just as dismal as the first half. Making matters even worse is that the Pelicans don’t have any draft picks this summer.
Jordan Poole, the second-highest-paid player on the team, has had a “DNP” on the box score for six straight games. So has Jordan Hawkins.
Dejounte Murray, the third-highest-paid player, has yet to suit up after tearing his Achilles tendon a year ago. Kevin Looney also rarely plays.
The frustration is understandable. Even more frustrating is not knowing what the plan is going forward. Dumars last spoke with the media in November on the day Willie Green was fired.
Dumars released a statement late Thursday night.
"Jose Alvarado embodied effort, toughness, and heart every time he stepped on the floor,” Dumars said in the statement. “He gave everything he had and represented our organization the right way."
The Pelicans now have Terry, who was just traded from the Chicago Bulls to the Knicks on Wednesday. Terry averaged 3.5 points and 1.2 assists in his 3½ seasons with the Bulls, who selected him with the 18th overall pick in the 2022 draft. Any other additions will have to wait until the season ends.
The real winner in this trade, whether he realizes it yet or not, is Alvarado. He joins a team that is currently third in the Eastern Conference standings and now he has a legitimate shot at playing for a ring.
“This is a business at the end of the day,” Alvarado said two weeks ago about the trade rumors. “You never know. You might get a call. At the end of the day, it’s still basketball. With this group or any group, you just stay with it. If it happens, it happens. We can’t change nothing. So if you go to another team or not, you just play basketball.”
Alvarado, undrafted out of Georgia Tech, signed as a two-way player with the Pels in 2021 and worked his way into the rotation. His hustle and feistiness won New Orleans over. He's now one of those ex-Pelicans that will always get an ovation when he comes to town. He's in the fraternity with guys like Jrue Holiday and Jonas Valanciunas who always gave their all.
He gave them one final show this past Friday in what ended up being his final game as a Pelican in the Smoothie King Center. He knocked down three 3-pointers in the third quarter to spark a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. His final steal in the Smoothie King Center came at the start of the fourth quarter.
Alvarado wrote a farewell message on InstaGram late Thursday night.
"This city, these people, you welcomed me with open arms and never let go," he wrote. "I love you forever.... Leaving isn't easy, because this place will always be a part of me. I'm forever grateful for the love, the support, and the unforgettable memories. New Orleans will always feel like home."
The Pelicans will now have to rely on someone else to bring that energy to the building. After the Pelicans' moves (or lack thereof) at the trade deadline, that may be easier said than done.