Will DiJonai Carrington be all right? That was the question looming in the minds of fans at the SAP Center as Game 2 between the Minnesota Lynx and the Golden State Valkyries continued to be underway. Carrington had left the game in the 4th quarter and did not return. She was later diagnosed with a mid-left foot sprain and was seen wearing a walking boot on her left foot when she attended a news conference for Co-Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith. This indicated that good news wasn’t on the horizon for Lynx fans. Unfortunately, that is exactly what has happened.

According to a recent post from ‘espnW’, the Lynx have now announced that DiJonai Carrington will miss the rest of the season. This announcement came just hours after she was already ruled out of Game 1 in the Lynx’s second-round playoff series against the Phoenix Mercury.

This news is unfortunate for the Minnesota Lynx squad. After all, Carrington is a key defensive player for the Lynx. She was named to the WNBA’s All-Defensive First Team in 2024 and continued displaying her prowess in this season, too.

Since joining the Lynx from the Dallas Wings, Carrington’s overall numbers have dipped more quickly than before—but her efficiency has soared. In 11 regular-season games with Minnesota, she posted a career-high 48.5% shooting from the field, including an impressive 45.5% from beyond the arc.

DiJonai Carrington was an underrated factor in why the Minnesota Lynx were able to defeat the Golden State Valkyries in Game 2. A point came during the matchup where the Lynx trailed by as many as 17 points. Carrington attempted two 3s in the 4th quarter of Game 2 and sank both. The second 3-pointer, a corner attempt made as just over 3 minutes were left to play, cut Minnesota’s deficit to just one point. Meanwhile, on defense, Carrington helped force a shot clock violation, and kept Valkyries’ star guard Veronica Burton scoreless in the 4th quarter.

DiJonai Carrington’s absence will surely affect the Minnesota Lynx’s offensive and defensive efforts. Therefore, to ensure the team remains efficient, team head coach Cheryl Lynx will have to make some changes.

How will the Minnesota Lynx manage without DiJonai Carrington?

According to reports, the Minnesota Lynx might give Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman extended minutes in light of DiJonai Carrington’s absence.

Courtney Williams, over the course of 44 games, has averaged 28.6 minutes and scored 13.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game. Her efficiency on the shooting front is a bit on the low side, as she averaged 5.6-13.2 (42.8%) field goals, 1.3-3.4 (38.9%) 3-pointers, and 1.0-1.2 (84.9%) free throws. On the defensive front, regular stats reportedly don’t show how good Williams is, but advanced ones do. By early September, Williams’ defensive win shares of 2.3 placed her in the top 10 and the highest-rated point guard in the league.

Meanwhile, Natisha Heideman, who has played in all 44 games this season, averaged 18.9 minutes. She averaged 9.1 points, along with 1.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Heideman shot 3.4-7.0 (49.2%) field goals, 1.0-2.8 (37.1%) 3-pointers, and 1.2-1.5 (76.1%) free throws per game.

With increased minutes, Williams and Hiedeman can make up for the 8.5 points, 1.0 rebound, and 1.0 assist that DiJonai Carrington averaged in the 2 recent playoff games. Whether they can display her prowess on the defensive front, too, against the Phoenix Mercury is something that remains to be seen.