Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns gives Jose Alvarado props for 3-year extension

Karl-Anthony Towns wasted no time celebrating the news that Jose Alvarado is staying in New York. The Knicks big man hopped on X on Friday to react to reports that Alvarado has re-signed with the team.

Towns kept it simple, posting “ ,” the Dominican Republic flag shaking hands with the Puerto Rico flag.

The two flags carried plenty of weight. Towns is one of the faces of Dominican Republic basketball, having suited up for the national team with pride throughout his career. Alvarado has done the same for Puerto Rico, representing the island on the international stage and becoming one of the most recognizable Boricua players in the league.

Alvarado is declining his $4.5 million player option and intends to sign a new three-year deal worth more than $14 million, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.

The guard arrived from New Orleans at the February trade deadline and quickly became a fan favorite at Madison Square Garden with his full-court pressure and second-unit energy.

In 28 regular-season games with the Knicks, including three starts, Alvarado averaged 6.6 points, 3.8 assists, two rebounds and one steal in 16.9 minutes per night. His minutes dipped to 9.4 per game in the playoffs, but he came up big when it counted.

Alvarado saved his biggest moment for Game 4 of the NBA Finals. He scored eight points in the fourth quarter as the Knicks erased a 29-point deficit and beat San Antonio 107-106, one of the great comebacks in franchise history.

Alvarado reacted to his own news with a short message. “I’m Home,” he wrote, closing the post with orange and blue hearts.

The deal keeps a trusted backup behind Jalen Brunson while protecting the Knicks’ books. The Knicks have other free agents to sort through, including Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet, and owner James Dolan has been reluctant to cross the second apron.

For now, the focus is on a hometown guard sticking around and a teammate making sure everyone knew how he felt about it.

Towns and Alvarado helped deliver the Knicks’ first championship since 1973, and the early offseason message from one to the other landed loud and clear.

The post Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns gives Jose Alvarado props for 3-year extension appeared first on ClutchPoints.