Ahead of February's trade deadline, just about every available point guard will be linked to the Minnesota Timberwolves. For a team with championship aspirations, a PG core of Mike Conley, Rob Dillingham, and Bones Hyland isn't going to cut it. While it's natural to shoot for the stars and mock up trade for the likes of Ja Morant or LaMelo Ball, I truly believe a dependable role player is all the Wolves need.
With that in mind, I think New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado would be a perfect fit. The Pelicans could be seen as sellers ahead of the deadline. Yes, they don't have their 2026 first-round pick, so it's possible they don't go this route. However, with a 3-22 record, the Pelicans eventually need to embrace a rebuild. Frankly, their veterans haven't helped them win games, so it could benefit them to get younger.
If the Pelicans do go down this road of selling, the Timberwolves absolutely need to pursue Alvarado.
Jose Alvarado is the perfect point guard for the Wolves
Minnesota needs a bit of everything from whatever point guard they trade for. They need someone who is a stabilizing playmaking force, can create for himself, defend, and spot-up. That's a rare combination to find, especially when targeting role players. If the Wolves can't find someone who can do all of these things, it's not the end of the world.
However, Alvarado can do all of these things.
Alvarado is posting averages of 9.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.1 on 44.7/38.6/83.3 shooting splits. Nicknamed "Grand Theft Alvarado," the 6-foot guard is most known for his pesky defense. The Wolves could use an extra point of attack defender.
Offensively, Alvarado is a dependable playmaker, capable finisher, and spot-up shooter. Notably, the Georgia Tech product is shooting an impressive 70 percent at the rim, and as mentioned earlier, his 38.6 percent 3-point percentage is a plus.
By all accounts, Alvarado would be a perfect fit with the Wolves.
Trading for Alvarado would come with a painful cost
Trading for Alvarado would most likely come at the cost of giving up on Dillingham or perhaps Terrence Shannon Jr. instead. The Wolves would also likely have to include some draft capital, perhaps even a first-round pick, since neither player has shown much in the NBA. Still, for the Pelicans, being able to land some young talent would make sense.
Now, would this be painful for the Wolves? Absolutely, especially if it involves trading Dillingham, whom the Wolves moved two first-round picks to draft in 2024. However, landing Alvarado would help move the Wolves closer to contention. Not being willing to trade Dillingham for Alvarado (or another player) would be abiding by the sunk cost fallacy.
It's also worth wondering if Dillingham will ever be able to develop on a competitive Wolves squad. He is currently losing minutes to Bones Hyland. On a rebuilding Pelicans squad, though, that's a different story.
Overall, making any trade comes at a cost, but finding a player who perfectly fits your team's needs is worth said cost.