The Golden State Warriors have been looking for an All-Star player to pair with Steph Curry for a while now. They tried to land LeBron James at last year’s trade deadline and missed out on it. In the summer, they tried trading for Paul George and missed out. Then, they tried for Lauri Markkanen and missed out. Now, their options are slimmer with each day. It looks like the only option left on the market for the Golden State Warriors is Brandon Ingram.
Golden State Warriors Are Stuck With Brandon Ingram
On Dec. 15, when the trade season began, the Warriors traded for Dennis Schröder, hoping he would be the first domino to a successful trade season. Yet, since then, they have missed out on a few opportunities, albeit not their fault. They were in the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes, but then Pat Riley came out and publicly said Jimmy is not going anywhere.
They secretly hoped the Lakers would continue losing, and LeBron will ask for a trade. Yet, the Lakers finally traded D’Angelo Russell and got wing depth, signaling they will go all-in in LeBron’s final years with the franchise. With LeBron and Jimmy out of the trade market, there are not many difference-makers left.
Brandon Ingram is the biggest name left on the market, but it seems like the Pelicans might be looking for too much.
A Bird in the Hand Is Worth Two in the Bush
The Warriors had a great opportunity to improve their depth. There are reports that the Nets wanted a bigger trade. In that missed opportunity, the Warriors could have gotten Cam Johnson, Schröder, and Dorian Finney-Smith. With that trade, the Warriors would have three more quality rotation players to add to their depth.
Yet, at the time, the Warriors hoped to get their hands on a bigger name on the market. And now, in a classic tale of a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, they are left with very few options.
Is Brandon Ingram Worth It?
Ingram last played on Dec. 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He left the game with a left ankle sprain, and the Pelicans hope he will be back somewhere in mid-January. While he is in trade rumors, the Pelicans will probably be cautious and will not rush him back into the court.
Despite missing several games with the injury, he remains the leading scorer on the Pelicans at 22.2 per game. He also averages 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists. This year, the 27-year-old forward increased his 3-point attempts, a must when playing for the Warriors. He went from 3.8 per game last year, to 6.4 this season. At the same time, he converts them at a better percentage, 37.4% to 35.5%.
Ingram was named an All-Star in 2020 and won the Most Improved Player Award the same season. His All-Star nod came in his fourth NBA season, the first with the Pelicans. That year, he averaged 23.8 points per game on 46% shooting, including 39% from behind the arc.
While he is a great player, Ingram has had injury troubles throughout his career. He has appeared in 70+ games only once, in his rookie season. Since then, the most he has played is 64 games last season. He is currently in a contract year, and if the Warriors trade for him, they better hope he will re-sign there long-term.
What Can the Golden State Warriors Give Up For Brandon Ingram?
The Golden State Warriors have two options for a Brandon Ingram trade. Both options include Andrew Wiggins since he has a high salary to match the one of Ingram. From there, they can either include two young players like Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski or add in an expiring contract and picks. The negotiations with the Pelicans will decide which route they will go if they decide to trade for Ingram.
At this point, the Warriors have a couple of other names they can pursue on the market—for example, Zach LaVine and Cam Johnson. Ingram is the youngest and healthiest among the three.
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