Jose Alvarado’s hold on the Knicks’ backup point guard job is suddenly looking a lot less secure.
A season ago, he was one of the most memorable pieces of New York’s Finals run. Game 4 against the San Antonio Spurs is remembered for the 29-point comeback and the OG Anunoby tip-in, but Alvarado’s fourth-quarter three-point flurry helped fuel that push before the Knicks seized control of the series.
This year has started differently. Alvarado entered 2026-2027 expected to be the No. 2 point guard behind Jalen Brunson, but early struggles and an injury opened the door for Tyler Kolek, and Kolek has taken advantage.
He hasn’t turned into a knockdown shooter, but he has done exactly what the Knicks have needed from him: move the ball and take care of it. Through this stretch, he has piled up 31 assists against just two turnovers.
The Knicks’ win over the Bulls wasn’t the kind of game that tells the whole story on its own, since New York controlled it from start to finish. Still, the way Mike Brown handled his backup guards was hard to miss. Kolek checked in before Alvarado, and that detail matters.
Kolek entered in the second quarter, replacing Deuce McBride, while Brown didn’t turn to Alvarado until the fourth. By then, Chicago was buried and New York’s win probability had climbed to 99%. The minutes were close enough on paper - 11 for Kolek, nine for Alvarado - but the reality was that Alvarado was getting garbage-time run.
And he didn’t do much with it. The game was already decided, but if there’s a real competition for the second point guard spot, Alvarado didn’t help himself.
He finished 0-for-4 from the field, 0-for-2 from deep, with two assists and two turnovers. In that one game, he matched the turnover total Kolek has posted all season.
That doesn’t mean the Knicks have already made a final call. It’s still early, and teams lean on the hot hand when they can. Right now, that hot hand belongs to Kolek, whose passing has given New York steady ball movement.
The picture could change later. Kolek could cool off, and Alvarado could reclaim the spot. That kind of swing already happened last season, when Alvarado arrived from the Pelicans and wound up playing a major role in the Knicks’ biggest comeback on the sport’s biggest stage.
But this is a different season, and the Knicks’ bench has a different problem. The group is light on size, and it’s crowded with guards and smaller wings. That raises the possibility of a consolidation move, especially if the backup big situation stays shaky.
That’s where Alvarado becomes more vulnerable. He has a contract that could draw interest, and the league knows exactly what he brings. If his role keeps shrinking, he could end up as the odd man out.
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