minh | Golden State Warriors
September 27, 2024

Getty Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors.

Even before the stunning departure of Stephen Curry‘s Splash Brother Klay Thompson, the Golden State Warriors have been searching for a new No. 2 scorer to once again crack open their championship window.

Could that lead them to the New Orleans Pelicans‘ disgruntled former All-Star forward Brandon Ingram?

Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale proposed a blockbuster three-team trade, essentially swapping the underwhelming Andrew Wiggins for Ingram.

Golden State Warriors Receive: Brandon Ingram ($36 million), Jeremiah Robinson-Earl ($2.2 million)

New Orleans Pelicans: Deandre Ayton ($34 million), Moses Moody ($5.8 million), Golden State’s 2025 first-rounder (top-eight protection)

Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Andrew Wiggins ($26.3 million), Gary Payton II ($9.1 million)

“The Warriors need someone with the present-day apex of “Second-best offensive player on a really good team.” Perhaps Jonathan Kuminga or Brandin Podziemski ends up checking that box in due time. Counting on either to do so next season is all sorts of risky,” Favale wrote.

While Ingram is a risky proposition given his contract situation with the Pelicans reluctant to give him a four-year, $208 million max extension, the lack of market for the former No. 2 pick, Favale reasoned, could make him a buy-low trade candidate for the Warriors without giving up Podziemski, Kuminga or a distant first-round pick.

“Golden State capitalizes on this divisive valuation here. Wiggins is more plug-and-play, but his contract no longer profiles as a net positive, and Ingram has the much better best-case outcome as a shot-creator and table-setter,” Favale wrote.

Despite a down year last season, Ingram still averaged 20.8 points and 5.7 assists. Since the Los Angeles Lakers traded Ingram to the Pelicans in 2019, he’s been a consistent 20-plus-point scorer over the last five seasons.

Andrew Wiggins Mourns Father’s Death

Wiggins is mourning the death of his father, former NBA player Mitchell Wiggins, who recently passed away.

He was 64.

The basketball community has lost a Legend. Our hearts are with the family, friends and fans of Mitchell Wiggins.#LegendsForever pic.twitter.com/VO363e4sbz

— NBA Alumni 🏀 (@NBAalumni) September 13, 2024

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported in 2022 that Wiggin’s father has been dealing with a serious medical condition, which explained the Warriors forward’s mysterious personal absences over the past two seasons.

Wiggins missed two months of the 2022-23 NBA season then missed another four games last season. He also He canceled a business trip to China this offseason due to a family emergency, which was surmised to be related to his father’s medical condition.

Wiggins is entering the second year of his four-year, $109 million, which was deemed a bargain when it was signed following his All-Star season and the Warriors championship run in 2022.

But Wiggins has been a shell of himself since then, which interestingly coincided with his father’s medical condition.

Will Wiggins return to form this season now that his father’s fight against an undisclosed illness is over? Or will it take some time for him to mourn?

Brandon Ingram’s Confidence Dipped Under Steve Kerr

Interestingly, Ingram’s struggles started at Team USA under Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who benched him in favor of the shorter but stout rebounder Josh Hart of the New York Knicks.

Ingram’s confidence dipped and it cascaded to the NBA season. However, in retrospect, Ingram looked at it as motivation to get back to his All-Star form.

“From Team USA up to this season, is probably … the worst that I’ve been in a New Orleans Pelicans uniform, and I’m motivated by that,” Ingram said during his exit interview in April. “I can go back and I can blame coaches. I can blame everybody else but myself, but, you know, I’ve got to go look at myself in the mirror and tell myself what I really need to do, how can I help this team. How can I help the coaches and how do I get the fans in New Orleans to believe in us again, and you know, that’s my job. That’s my task.”

Alder Almo is a basketball journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 15 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo

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