Jose Alvarado and the Knicks’ rotation puzzle: Why Mike Brown’s latest bench shift raises new questions
Jose Alvarado is suddenly at the center of a late-season contradiction for the New York Knicks: a team searching for an offensive spark while also preparing to reintegrate Miles McBride with only eight games remaining until the playoffs.
Why did Mike Brown turn to Tyler Kolek over Jose Alvarado?
During Thursday night’s 114-103 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, Knicks head coach Mike Brown made a notable adjustment to his backcourt rotation. In the first half, Brown turned to Tyler Kolek ahead of Jose Alvarado off the bench as New York looked for an offensive lift.
After the game, Brown explained the decision plainly: “I just wanted to throw him out there, see if he could give us a spark, ” Brown said.
The on-court results were limited. Alvarado logged 5: 06, went 0-for-2 from the field, and finished minus-4. Kolek played 5: 45, finishing minus-11 with one rebound. Even with neither player delivering an immediate boost, the choice signaled that the coaching staff is willing to experiment in real time as the season tightens.
What does Miles McBride’s looming return change for the Knicks’ bench?
McBride has been out since late January after undergoing surgery for a sports hernia, but he is now very close to returning. His return would restore a key bench role: the Knicks’ top bench scorer and one of their best on-ball defenders.
That creates an unavoidable math problem. Someone currently in the rotation will have to sit, a difficult decision given the team’s depth. As of now, Jose Alvarado has essentially taken McBride’s spot in the rotation, but recent production has dipped. Over his last 10 games, Alvarado is averaging 3. 4 points and shooting 36% from the floor.
In Thursday’s loss to Charlotte, Alvarado was benched in the second half in favor of Kolek after playing five minutes in the first half without recording a stat. The shift highlighted a change from earlier after Alvarado’s arrival at the trade deadline, when he showed aggression on both ends. Recently, that has turned into passivity on offense and foul trouble on defense.
Who becomes the odd man out as the guard logjam grows?
The Knicks’ guard rotation has been fluid, shaped by performance and injuries. As of Thursday, Miles McBride and Landry Shamet were still sidelined, increasing the need for in-game adjustments. Even so, New York has multiple ball-handlers, including Jalen Brunson, Jose Alvarado, Tyler Kolek, and Jordan Clarkson, creating ongoing competition for minutes.
That competition is tightening, not easing. Jordan Clarkson’s re-emergence has created a logjam in the second unit alongside Alvarado and Shamet. Shamet has been described as a highly impactful defender and three-point shooter all season long, complicating the case for consistent minutes elsewhere.
Another name is also caught in the churn: Mohamed Diawara has been in and out of the rotation in recent weeks, tied to Clarkson’s resurgence. While the Knicks could use Diawara’s size in spurts in the playoffs, there is skepticism that the team will rely on the rookie for significant postseason minutes.
For Alvarado, the short-term picture is especially uncertain. Despite providing steady production during the Knicks’ seven-game winning streak—averaging 4. 9 points and 4. 9 assists over that stretch—his recent slide and the coaching staff’s willingness to pivot to Kolek in a key moment put his role under pressure as McBride nears a return.
The underlying tension is clear: the Knicks are chasing a title, and that reality prioritizes the most trustworthy options at all times. In that context, Jose Alvarado may be pushed toward a more situational role if the rotation tightens the way it appears to be heading.
