Injured Former Stanford Cardinal Could Derail Minnesota Lynx Incredible Season

There is a chance that the Lynx and Aces will match up in the WNBA Finals, but first both teams will have to advance past their semifinal challengers. The Lynx will be facing off against the Phoenix Mercury, while the Aces will take on another former Cardinal in Lexie Hull and the Indiana Fever. The Mercury have also been home to former Cardinal Kiana Williams this season.

Back in February, Carrington was traded from the Connecticut Sun to the Dallas Wings, but with Dallas' season not taking flight, they ended up trading her to Minnesota in early August for Diamond Miller, Karlie Samuelson (another former Cardinal), and a 2027 second round pick.

Carrington is also on an expiring contract, which will be up when the season ends and make her an unrestricted free agent. This also means that her time in Minnesota could be over, unless the Lynx re-sign her.

After her arrival in Minnesota, Carrington's minutes weren't quite at the level they'd been at in recent years, with the defensive specialist averaging 16.6 minutes per game. The only season she averaged fewer minutes was back in her rookie season in 2021 with the Sun, when she was putting up 9.2.

While her minutes had declined, her role on the team could be exemplified by her final game with the team, in the second game of their series with the Golden State Valkyries. The Lynx ended up coming back after trailing 63-49 entering the fourth quarter to pull off a 75-74 win.

In her 14 minutes on the floor, Carrington shot 4-of-9 (2-of-5 from three) and scored 11 points, collected a pair of rebounds, and even notched a block. She'd finish the night +2 in plus/minus, and in a tight game, those 14 minutes proved crucial.

Obviously Napheesa Collier is the star of the team (and heck, the league), but losing an important depth piece like Carrington could end up having a big impact on Minnesota's run towards the championship.

Last season, it was Smith who was playing in the finals while injured and she put forth an incredibly gutsy performance against New York. This year, Carrington won't be available. Hopefully the outcome will be a little different for th Lynx this time around.