Jose Alvarado has rubbed off on the Pelicans.
The previous undrafted level guard has made a reputation for himself by changing into the most effective steal artists within the NBA. On Saturday, the Pelicans signed Alvarado to a team-friendly deal that was one of many league’s greatest steals.
Per NBA insider Shams Charania, New Orleans and Alvarado agreed to a two-year, $9 million extension with a 2026-27 participant choice.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported that $2 million in beforehand non-guaranteed cash for the 2024-25 season additionally grew to become absolutely assured with the extension.
Since coming into the league undrafted by Georgia Tech in 2022, Alvarado has change into a key participant for the Pelicans and a local fan favorite.
He completed sixth within the Sixth Man of the Yr voting final season. In 18.4 minutes per sport, Alvarado averaged 7.1 factors, 2.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per sport whereas taking pictures a career-high 37.7 % from three-point vary.
Alvarado is one in all a number of excellent defenders on the Pelicans. Together with ahead Herb Jones, who signed a four-year, $53,827,872 contract extension last offseason, he provides New Orleans two of the league’s finest worth signings.
Jones completed fifth in Defensive Participant of the Yr voting in 2023-24 whereas being named First Group All-Protection for the primary time.
According to Stathead, Jones and level guard Dejounte Murray, whom the Pels acquired through commerce earlier this offseason, have led the league in steals for the reason that begin of the 2021-22 season, Jones’ rookie yr.
New Orleans went 49-33 in 2023-24, its finest document for the reason that 2008-09 season. The Thunder swept it within the first spherical of the playoffs after it certified for the postseason because the No. 8 seed.
With star forwards Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram and guard C.J. McCollum rising younger expertise Trey Murphy III, the Pelicans have a deep roster that would make extra noise in 2024-25.
And because of the Pels’ savvy Alvarado extension, the nice instances ought to proceed rolling past this season.