One of the biggest fears NBA organizations face during the offseason is that players representing their country in international play often suffer severe injuries before the NBA season begins. Most recently, we saw Danilo Gallinari pretty much end his NBA career after suffering an ACL injury during the 2022 EuroBasket qualifiers.
This fear that many teams face is now a reality for the New Orleans Pelicans. During a Quarterfinal matchup at the Americup between Argentina and Puerto Rico Pelicans, fan favorite Jose Alvarado left the game on a stretcher after a scary fall in overtime. It appears Alvarado suffered a back and potential neck injury.
Jose has become the face of Puerto Rican basketball and even led them to their first Olympic appearance in over two decades back in 2024. He was leading the scoring in the contest with 25 points and connecting on 7 of his 15 attempted three-pointers.
Midway through the overtime period, Alvarado was fighting for an offensive rebound when he fell backward and landed awkwardly on his back. Instantly, he had a reaction and appeared to be in serious pain.
If Alvarado is set to miss a significant amount of time, it could have a tremendous impact on the Pelicans, as he has been a consistent spark on both ends and is the heart and soul of this team.
This makes things complicated for the Pelicans
The Pelicans did address guard depth this offseason with the additions of Jordan Poole and Jeremiah Fears. However, with no clear timetable on Dejounte Murray's return, New Orleans needs Alvarado early on in the 2025-26 season.
I expected Jose to be the first guy off the bench to start next season, especially with how raw Fears looked during his time at Summer League. While Fears may be an NBA-level guard eventually, he still has a lot to learn, and having Jose to rely on would have helped ease him into the NBA.
Now obviously, I'm not a doctor, and Jose may end up being fine, but with him being taken out on a stretch, my worry meter is at an all-time high.
If he does miss an extended period of time during the 2025-26 season, the Pelicans could be in serious trouble.
I really do hope all is well with Jose and that there are no long-term effects on him. During his time in New Orleans, we've seen that Jose is not just a great player but an even better person, so I hope he has a speedy recovery.