The Knicks have one more reason to monitor Jose Alvarado closely before training camp begins. New York’s reserve guard is heading back to international competition with Puerto Rico, creating a chance to sharpen his game after the Knicks’ championship run.
At the same time, the decision brings an offseason risk New York cannot completely ignore, especially given Alvarado’s history with international competition.
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Puerto Rico has officially named Alvarado to its 12-man roster for two FIBA World Cup 2027 qualifiers later this month.
The Knicks guard will face Argentina on Aug. 27 before Puerto Rico travels to Uruguay for its Aug. 31 matchup. The team is scheduled to gather in Argentina on Aug. 24 and practice for three days before the first game.
The development was highlighted by Max Wildstein of Knicks on SI, who noted that these will be Alvarado’s first meaningful games since the Knicks won the 2026 NBA Finals.
Wildstein also identified the obvious downside: Alvarado will be playing high-intensity basketball during the offseason, creating the possibility of an injury before the Knicks open training camp.
That concern carries some history. Last August, while playing for Puerto Rico against Argentina in the 2025 AmeriCup, Alvarado suffered a frightening fall while battling for a rebound in overtime. He landed hard on his back and was carried from the court on a stretcher. He was subsequently placed under medical observation, although reports indicated there were no major complications.
For the Knicks, that makes the upcoming Argentina matchup particularly worth watching. New York just committed to Alvarado on a new three-year deal worth more than $14 million, and he is expected to have an important bench role during the team’s title defense.
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The injury risk is only one side of the equation. Wildstein points out that these two games can function as a valuable preseason warmup for Alvarado, who could settle into a 15-to-20-minute role for New York. After Aug. 31, he should have roughly a month before training camp begins at the end of September.
Puerto Rico should also give Alvarado a much larger offensive responsibility than he has with New York. During the Finals, he averaged only 4.2 points per game, shot 25% from three and posted a 41.5% true shooting percentage.
That makes these games useful for more than conditioning. Alvarado will get more on-ball reps, more opportunities to create offense and a chance to improve his shooting confidence before returning to a Knicks team that already knows how valuable his energy, defense and playmaking can be.
And if something unexpected does happen, New York at least has Tyler Kolek, who previously handled the backup point guard role before Alvarado arrived.
For the Knicks, the ideal outcome is straightforward: Alvarado helps Puerto Rico, gets valuable reps and returns to New York healthy.
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