Jose Alvarado Cleared to Return Monday, Restoring Chaos to the Knicks Rotation

The New York Knicks are getting their favorite chaos agent back. According to Underdog NBA, Jose Alvarado has been cleared from his ankle injury and will officially suit up on Monday.

This is massive news for a rotation that desperately needs his specific brand of defensive terrorism. Alvarado has missed a handful of recent games with that tweaked ankle, leaving the Knicks short-handed in the backcourt and severely lacking in guys willing to hide behind the scorer's table to steal an inbounds pass.

"Underdog NBA reported: 'Brown: Jose Alvarado (ankle) will play Monday.'"

Since getting shipped to New York at the trade deadline, Alvarado has been logging about 17 minutes a night off the bench. His three-point shot has been objectively broken—he is hitting just 30.4 percent from deep—but he is still handing out 4.1 assists and swiping 1.1 steals per game.

You do not roster Grand Theft Alvarado for his shooting splits. You roster him because he makes opposing point guards look over their shoulders like they are walking through a haunted house. His return gives the Knicks that necessary edge, especially with guys like Landry Shamet and Miles McBride dealing with their own injury issues lately.

For the sickos staring at the prop markets, Alvarado’s return completely scrambles the bench rotation minutes. If you were banking on extended run for the end-of-bench guards, it is time to rip up those tickets because Tom Thibodeau is going to plug his new favorite defensive pest right back into the mix.

We will see how the ankle holds up under game speed on Monday night. If he is moving laterally without a limp, expect him to immediately resume his duties as the most annoying player in the Eastern Conference.