What Does Injury News Mean for Warriors’ Trade Rumors?

In an effort to end their current skid, put a star next to Stephen Curry, and solidify their NBA title hopes, the Golden State Warriors have long been named a possible landing spot for an All-Star ahead of the NBA trade deadline. Jimmy Butler and Brandon Ingram have been common names, and Julius Randle and De'Aaron Fox have also been mentioned, although much more casually.

However, recent NBA injury news has narrowed down the trade search for the Warriors, limiting who they could target.

Averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists this season on 46.5 percent shooting from the floor and 37.4 percent from deep, Ingram's fit in the Warriors' rotation is plainly obvious. The New Orleans Pelicans have been ravaged by substantial injuries to Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, and others, and in the last year of his contract, Ingram was expected to be flipped before the deadline.

However, on Saturday's matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Ingram hobbled off the court and did not return. ESPN's Shams Charania has since reported that he is out indefinitely with a "significant" ankle injury.

New Orleans Pelicans star Brandon Ingram has suffered a significant low left ankle sprain and is sidelined indefinitely, sources tell ESPN. Another significant injury blow to the Pelicans season. pic.twitter.com/Au9heqg04n

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 8, 2024

With no timeline for his return, the Warriors are likely to shift their focus to a player who can help their winning effort now instead of later in the season. With no guarantee that Ingram would re-sign with whichever team traded for him this year, his value was already lower than initially expected, and the injury news does not help his case.

For the Warriors, the injury news means changing their priorities and targeting a win-now player like Butler. For the Pelicans, losing their best player should signal the end of their season as they continue to race to the bottom.