Jose

Alvarado

Alvarado struggled in his season finale, especially from a ball security standpoint. The Pelicans’ point guard recorded six turnovers. Add in the poor shooting from the field, and this was a rough afternoon to stream Alvarado in active fantasy leagues. A backup when the Pelicans are whole, Alvarado’s fantasy value is limited. With Dejounte Murray recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon, will New Orleans look to add another point guard over the summer? Or would they be fine handing the keys to Alvarado to begin the season? Those questions will significantly impact Alvarado’s 2025-26 draft position. Alvarado’s two-year, $9 million extension will kick in next season.

Alvarado is looking more and more like a traditional closer. The Phillies probably didn’t need to use him up three against the bottom of the Cardinals order today, but they did so anyway. He retired the side on only 11 pitches, so he should be available again Sunday.

Alvarado returns from a calf injury that sidelined him for Thursday’s loss to the Bucks. However, he replaces Antonio Reeves in the starting lineup, not Payton. The other change of note is Kelley, who will start due to the absences of Yves Missi and Karl Matkovic.

Alvarado is back after sitting out Thursday’s loss to the Bucks. His return means Elfrid Payton will come off the bench, a role in which the veteran point guard is less valuable in most fantasy leagues. However, he’s worth holding onto if there’s a need for assist production, as Payton’s averaged 9.6 per game over the past two weeks.

Initially on a 10-day contract, the standard deal ensures Payton will be available for New Orleans’ final two games of the season. While the veteran point guard does not provide much value as a scorer, he’s been a positive asset in the assist category. Payton has averaged 9.6 assists per game over the past two weeks. How much he plays in the final two games depends on the availability of Jose Alvarado, who’s questionable for Friday’s game against the Heat.

Alvarado missed the Pelicans’ game against the Bucks and could be replaced by Elfrid Payton against Miami. Matkovic has a chance to start if healthy, but Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Kylor Kelley are waiting in the wings.

These two starters missing time could have major implications. Elfrid Payton is a playmaking machine with 10 or more assists in three straight games and Keion Brooks has an even better chance at notching another start with Kelly Olynyk already ruled out.

Alvarado returned to the starting lineup after missing Sunday’s game against the Bucks with a calf injury. His return sent Elfrid Payton back to the bench. Alvarado had 16 points and made three three-pointers. He’s an inconsistent shooter but is getting a decent amount of usage with the Pelicans missing multiple starters down the stretch of the season.

Alvarado and Olynyk both missed Sunday’s game but are back in the lineup to take on Brooklyn. Their returns will push Elfrid Payton and Keion Brooks Jr. back to the bench, which will limit their role and fantasy impact.

The pair sat out Sunday against the Bucks, but they’ll both be back to take on the Nets. Olynyk and Alvarado should reclaim their starting spots from Antonio Reeves and Elfrid Payton, respectively.