Pelicans’ Jose Alvarado agrees to 2-year, $9M extension


Jose Alvarado New Orleans Pelicans NBA

FILE – New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado reacts in the second half of an NBA basketball play-in tournament game against the Sacramento Kings in New Orleans, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado has agreed to a two-year contract extension worth $9 million, a person familiar with the situation said Saturday.

The contract includes a player option for the 2026-27 season, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement has not been announced.

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The deal, first reported by the Times-Picayune, comes as Alvarado — a 6-foot, high-energy reserve who went undrafted out of Georgia Tech in 2021 — was entering his final season under contract.

READ: NBA All-Star: Jose Alvarado wins Rising Stars MVP

During three NBA seasons, Alvarado has developed a reputation as a heady defender with a penchant for sneaking up on ball-handlers to make back-court steals.

He was known for similar exploits in college, earning the nickname “Grand Theft Alvarado,” and he was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021.

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In 171 games with New Orleans, he has averaged 7.5 points, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 18.5 minutes per game.

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READ: NBA: Jose Alvarado’s career game leads Pelicans past Nuggets

A New York native with Puerto Rican ancestry, Alvarado also has played for Puerto Rico’s national team, including at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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This season, Alvarado will be among the primary backups for newly acquired point guard Dejounte Murray.

Pelicans training camp opens in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday after players report for a preseason media event in New Orleans on Monday.



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