The first round of the NBA draft has concluded, and it's essential to shed light on what the selection of Jeremiah Fears means for a Pelicans fan favorite, Jose Alvarado. The selection of Fears came as a shock to most, as New Orleans had just acquired Jordan Poole from Washington a day prior, a player with a similar style to Fears. This trade also left the Pelicans with a hole at center, something they eventually addressed by trading up for Derik Queen at pick No. 13.
The selection of Fears is an exciting one, but also comes with concerns. He is an extremely fun shot creator who thrives in the pick-and-roll, gets to the rim well, drawing fouls often. However, he is extremely undersized at 6'2.5" barefoot, struggled from three last season, shooting just 28.4% from deep, and is a well below-average defender. That being said, Joe Dumars made it clear at his post-draft presser that they won't put a ceiling on Fears during his rookie year, and if he impresses, he could even start for the Pelicans.
With a guard rotation of Dejounte Murray, Poole, Fears, and Alvarado, there's a clear odd man out — Jose Alvarado. Murray is expected to continue to rehab his injury and has taken on a leadership role on this team. Poole was just acquired, and Fears was just drafted, making Alvarado, at 27 years old, not needed.
This is devastating news for New Orleans
Jose Alvarado meant more to the city of New Orleans than his stats. He was an essential part of the New Orleans community, contributing to Rebuilding Together, a group that provided aid after Hurricane Ida in 2021.
On the court, he embodied the city with his heart and hustle. He is famous for stealing the ball by sneaking behind defenders, which often leads to scoring chances for the Pelicans. He had a career year last season, despite dealing with hamstring issues, posting averages of 10.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. Alvarado was the spark of the Pelicans' bench; he was this team's version of T.J. McConnell, and now he is likely heading out the door.
It seems Joe Dumars has a different vision for the backup guard spot. However, Fears offered this post-draft quote that embodies Alvarado’s spirit: "You guys are going to be getting a dog. I would advise you guys to come to the games, it's definitely gonna be a show. We're gonna go out there and play super hard"
This quote from Fears should make Pelicans fans feel better about the likely departure of Alvarado, as he has made it clear that he intends to bring the same dog mentality that Jose has made famous in the Big Easy. With New Orleans set to pick No. 40 in round two of the NBA draft tonight, we'll see if anyone else's job is put in jeopardy by Joe Dumars.