Warriors disinterest in trading for former All-Star is baffling given roster need

Having ranked outside the top eight in both offense and defense in each of the last two years, the Golden State Warriors clearly have improvements to make on both sides of the ball heading into next season.

Yet with trade season quickly approaching as we head towards the NBA Draft later this month, much of the focus is centered on which area the Warriors should prioritize. Do they pull a move in the aim of getting greater offensive support for Stephen Curry, or could they attempt to fortify their defense with a genuine seven-foot, veteran big man?

Many believe the former to be the priority for Golden State, with that confirmed by The Athletic's Anthony Slater on a recent episode of the Warriors Plus Minus podcast earlier in the week.

"My sense from the Warriors is that it's more on the scorer wing, dynamic offensive player than rim protection. I think there's a belief, maybe it'll turn out to be fatal maybe not, that a Draymond (Green)-Trayce (Jackson-Davis) frontline can defend well enough."

- Anthony Slater

The Golden State Warriors reported disinterest in Brandon Ingram is baffling given their desire to add another offensive threat this offseason

However, despite seemingly fitting the bill of a "scorer wing, dynamic offensive player," Slater reported on Friday that he "would not expect the Warriors to show interest" in Brandon Ingram despite his availability this offseason.

Ingram wouldn't be a perfect fit by any means -- he's not a great three-point shooter and would certainly be a step back from Andrew Wiggins defensively. But the reality is there may be no perfect trade target, and at least Ingram has the offensive skillset to relieve some of the pressure on a 36-year-old Stephen Curry.

The former second overall pick has averaged 20 points per game in each of his last five years, including a career-high 24.7 points and 5.8 assists just last season. After finishing 10th in the Western Conference, Golden State shouldn't be in the position of turning their backs on All-Star level talent, particularly those who are just 26-years-old and should theoretically be entering the prime of their career. At a minimum it's worth a discussion with the Pelicans to consider what a deal would look like.

While the Warriors reported disinterest in Ingram is perplexing to some degree, it may also be a sign of their unwillingness to trade for a player who is in line for a big contract extension. The 2020 All Star is eligible for a four-year, $208 million deal, which is a big part of the reason why the Pelicans are looking to move off him.

The Warriors may try to find a better fit who comes with less financial commitment, but there's no promises that another player of Ingram's ilk becomes realistically available over the coming months.