If Jeremiah Fears were a chess move, he’d be the quiet pawn that just became a queen. No drama or fanfare… just a subtle shift that suddenly makes the board look wildly different. The Pelicans thought they had their lineup pieces falling into place this offseason. But Fears’ emergence has thrown a wrench into everything. And if you happen to be Jose Alvarado, that wrench might be headed straight for your minutes.

Drafted by New Orleans this summer, 18-year-old Jeremiah Fears is already showing signs that he might be more than just a long-term project. According to assistant coach Corey Brewer, who worked closely with him during Summer League, “His decision-making got a lot better. First two games to the last game, he made a lot better reads. He got guys open shots. So, he’s only gonna continue to get better,“ he told Bobby Krivitsky. And better is the word that should terrify Jose Alvarado right now. Why?

Because Fears isn’t just trending upward, but he’s also trending toward relevance. And on a team that already features Jordan Poole and Kevon Looney, there simply aren’t enough minutes for everyone to eat. Alvarado, 27, is coming off a season that saw him average 10.3 points, 4.6 assists, and 1.3 steals in just under 24.4 minutes a night. Solid numbers for a spark plug off the bench, but not unmovable ones. And the whispers have already started.

The Denver Nuggets, for one, should be keeping an eye on this. A team with a strong second unit but a need for some bench defense and playmaking could view Alvarado as a bargain pickup. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans just added another ball handler with upside who might already be passing Alvarado on the depth chart. The timing of this all, though? Couldn’t be worse. Man, you gotta love the irony of offseason!

Derik Queen’s absence because of a wrist injury which sidelines him for at least 12 weeks, aka, till October 21, aka when the 2025-26 season kicks off opens the door for Karlo Matković to carve out minutes in the frontcourt, but it also increases the pressure on the rest of the rotation to gel quickly, particularly the guards. Fears may only be 18, but if he can show chemistry with the bigs and prove he can control the offense, it’s going to be hard to keep him on the bench. And this is where it gets complicated for Alvarado.

Jeremiah Fears cracks the rotation?

He’s a fan favorite, a defensive pest, and one of the few guards in the league who can rattle opposing point guards just by stepping on the floor. But NBA rotations aren’t sentimental. They’re ruthless. Especially when it comes to maximizing rookie contracts and building around youth. And then there’s the business side.

Alvarado is locked in at $1.99 million for 2024–25, with the Pelicans exercising his team option. His new two-year, $9 million extension kicks in the following season, giving him $4.5 million annually through 2027 if he opts in. That’s cheap by NBA standards, but it’s also the kind of contract that makes him highly tradable. With Queen sidelined and the roster suddenly tilting younger, Fears’ value rises… and Alvarado’s security falls. But let’s not act like Fears is some random lotto ticket either.

The kid averaged 20 points, 4 assists, and 7 rebounds in his loss against the Pacers in the summer league. He’s got wiggle, vision, and the kind of confident pull-up that makes defenders second-guess themselves. He was always going to be a factor. But now? He might be the factor. And while the Pelicans juggle injuries, rotation battles, and player development, the question becomes obvious.

Can you afford to keep both Fears and Alvarado when they essentially eat from the same plate? New Orleans has already made a big swing in trading for Queen. That move was about upside, about the future. And with Jeremiah Fears showing poise beyond his years, don’t be surprised if the next move involves clearing the runway for him. Jose Alvarado may still have a role somewhere—Denver, Miami, maybe even Philly. But in New Orleans? The winds are shifting fast. And if Fears keep playing like this, the ripple effects around the league won’t be small. They’ll be Fear-full.