2023 WNBA Free Agency

[baggerbob]

Seems to me that Chicago certainly got fleeced. Five draft picks plus a very talented (and big) European player for Mabrey and a draft pick. Marina isn't a replacement for Sloot, and they gave up all hope of drafting a decent point guard.

The German player may never make it to the WNBA, the player they signed from Mali who has played in Spain has a high upside.
Played very well in the Fiba Championships. She is only 20, practicing everyday with JJ and Stewie should fast track her growth.

 

[BRS24]

 

[Waquoit]

The Sun re-signed Brionna Jones. So it looks like they still plan on fielding a team this year.

 

[Dillon77]

Good for Mariah. She's an adroit defender, ball distributor and can hit the jumper. Also strikes me as insurance on the Skylar Diggins front.

 

[Dillon77]

Seems to me that Chicago certainly got fleeced. Five draft picks plus a very talented (and big) European player for Mabrey and a draft pick. Marina isn't a replacement for Sloot, and they gave up all hope of drafting a decent point guard.

Wade has to hope his two Belgians (Emma Meesemann and Julie Allemand) come back to address the power forward and point guard slots, respectively. Marina can handle the ball and get your team assists, but she's actually more of a Quigley replacement.

 

[bballnut90]

Does it seem like Dallas did some fleecing?

100%. Mabrey/Deshields is pretty much a wash (though I'd pick Deshields between the 2), plus they finagled the #5 pick in this draft, a first round draft pick from likely lottery bound Chicago in 2024 when Clark, Reese, Brink, Bueckers, Cardoso and Fudd are all eligible, plus the right to swap picks in 2025 with Chicago. I think this is a terrible move for both Phoenix and Chicago.

 

[Geew1992]

Taurasi I has signed a multi-year deal with the Mercury

 

[Dillon77]

Han Xu Re-signs with NY Liberty

- Whoa, this is -- in my humble opinion -- a huge (literal and otherwise) signing, given her continual improvement. The Liberty can throw JJ, Stewie, Han Xu or Stef at a team. And 'Sloot can set 'em all up.

A lot of the article examines how the rest of the roster might shake out. It's not a problem, save for the players involved.

https://www./wnba/new-york-liberty/what-han-xu-re-signing-with-the-liberty-means-for-2023/

 

[cancontent]

Too bad. She played a key role in Australia winning the bronze last year.

 

[baggerbob]

Han Xu Re-signs with NY Liberty

- Whoa, this is -- in my humble opinion -- a huge (literal and otherwise) signing, given her continual improvement. The Liberty can throw JJ, Stewie, Han Xu or Stef at a team. And 'Sloot can set 'em all up.

A lot of the article examines how the rest of the roster might shake out. It's not a problem, save for the players involved.

https://www./wnba/new-york-liberty/what-han-xu-re-signing-with-the-liberty-means-for-2023/

The article leaves out the likely player to be cut Willoughby who makes 79,690 and was last player on bench last year.

 

[Dillon77]

Too bad. She played a key role in Australia winning the bronze last year.

And KLS is pregnant. They often split wing duties at Seattle.

 

[Geew1992]

 

[Dillon77]

Given that her little sister is pregnant and Stephanie Talbot is out for the season, this move is, to paraphrase George Bush I, "prudent."

 

[Orangutan]

100%. Mabrey/Deshields is pretty much a wash (though I'd pick Deshields between the 2), plus they finagled the #5 pick in this draft, a first round draft pick from likely lottery bound Chicago in 2024 when Clark, Reese, Brink, Bueckers, Cardoso and Fudd are all eligible, plus the right to swap picks in 2025 with Chicago. I think this is a terrible move for both Phoenix and Chicago.

Mabrey is clearly better than DeShields. Different positions/roles so it's not a 1 to 1 comparison but Mabrey is a better shooter, better passer, has a higher PER, etc.

Diamond has sadly not been very effective since her very scary back injury.

Chicago obviously overpaid for Mabrey. If you are going to give up what the Sky did for a Notre Dame guard, it had better be Jewell or Skylar.

On the other hand, I see why they were so keen to get her. Chicago has a huge hole at PG without Sloot. I'm not sure Dana Evans is starting-caliber and I don't think James Wade sees her as a starter either. It's not Marina's best position, but she can play there and there weren't many other viable PG options on the market.

Also, Chicago just finally started to grow its fanbase with the last couple of years of success. For the first time, a season ticket waitlist was announced. I think they are desperate to remain competitive.

Preserving all future picks, finishing in the lottery, watching Kah walk next year as a UFA and starting a rebuild that will take 3+ years is probably the prudent course of action. But I understand where they are coming from in trying to get a PG for Kah, make the playoffs, and hopefully convince Kah to resign.

Of course, if they still finish in the lottery and Kah leaves it's an abject disaster. But that remains to be seen...

 

[TheFarmFan]

Preserving all future picks, finishing in the lottery, watching Kah walk next year as a UFA and starting a rebuild that will take 3+ years is probably the prudent course of action. But I understand where they are coming from in trying to get a PG for Kah, make the playoffs, and hopefully convince Kah to resign.

Of course, if they still finish in the lottery and Kah leaves it's an abject disaster. But that remains to be seen...

Had to read this about three times to make sense of it. What a difference a dash makes - between resign and re-sign! Now that I comprehend, great analysis and does make some sense of what otherwise seemed like a suicidal trade decision.

 

[Orangutan]

Had to read this about three times to make sense of it. What a difference a dash makes - between resign and re-sign! Now that I comprehend, great analysis and does make some sense of what otherwise seemed like a suicidal trade decision.

An embarrassing grammatical oversight to be sure!

 

[TheFarmFan]

An embarrassing grammatical oversight to be sure!

I blame the Anglo-Saxons and their sloppy mongrel language they brought to Brittania, and eventually the world, with its minimal semantic rules, endless grammar exceptions, and bounty of confusing homographs.

 

[LowkeyX]

Mabrey is clearly better than DeShields. Different positions/roles so it's not a 1 to 1 comparison but Mabrey is a better shooter, better passer, has a higher PER, etc.

Diamond has sadly not been very effective since her very scary back injury.

Chicago obviously overpaid for Mabrey. If you are going to give up what the Sky did for a Notre Dame guard, it had better be Jewell or Skylar.

On the other hand, I see why they were so keen to get her. Chicago has a huge hole at PG without Sloot. I'm not sure Dana Evans is starting-caliber and I don't think James Wade sees her as a starter either. It's not Marina's best position, but she can play there and there weren't many other viable PG options on the market.

Also, Chicago just finally started to grow its fanbase with the last couple of years of success. For the first time, a season ticket waitlist was announced. I think they are desperate to remain competitive.

Preserving all future picks, finishing in the lottery, watching Kah walk next year as a UFA and starting a rebuild that will take 3+ years is probably the prudent course of action. But I understand where they are coming from in trying to get a PG for Kah, make the playoffs, and hopefully convince Kah to resign.

Of course, if they still finish in the lottery and Kah leaves it's an abject disaster. But that remains to be seen...

I also had to read it a couple times lol

I think Mabrey, Courtney Williams & Kopper will be electric in the backcourt this season. I see a lot of run & gun, transition baskets & 3 pointers in transition.

 

[Orangutan]

I also had to read it a couple times lol

I think Mabrey, Courtney Williams & Kopper will be electric in the backcourt this season. I see a lot of run & gun, transition baskets & 3 pointers in transition.

I think they will hover around .500, maybe slightly below, but they will be fun to watch.

With Marina, the Sky will either win or fight someone while trying to.

 

[Bigboote]

Had to read this about three times to make sense of it. What a difference a dash makes - between resign and re-sign! Now that I comprehend, great analysis and does make some sense of what otherwise seemed like a suicidal trade decision.

You're one up on me. I was thinking it was about the snake in the Jungle Books (Ka) and the giant mammals (ufa) in the Maria V Snyder books.

I did finally suss it out. (Copper and unrestricted free agent)

 

[Dillon77]

I also had to read it a couple times lol

I think Mabrey, Courtney Williams & Kopper will be electric in the backcourt this season. I see a lot of run & gun, transition baskets & 3 pointers in transition.

If Elizabeth Williams, Ruthie Hebard and Izzy Harrison can work the defensive glass, the fast break can start. Williams was a defensive force when she was in Atlanta and Harrison knows Marina from Dallas (they work a pretty good pick and roll).

 

[Dillon77]

I think they will hover around .500, maybe slightly below, but they will be fun to watch.

With Marina, the Sky will either win or fight someone while trying to.

She did a podcast with Sami Whitcomb and Jackie Young when the three of them were playing for Perth in Australia. Marina admitted she was a little bit competitive , which was followed by seconds of silence and then Whitcomb and Young breaking out in laughter. Wade's seen this in the league and at the USA National Team training camp, when he was a new assistant coach and Mabrey was invited (for the first time).

 

[cancontent]

She did a podcast with Sami Whitcomb and Jackie Young when the three of them were playing for Perth in Australia. Marina admitted she was a little bit competitive , which was followed by seconds of silence and then Whitcomb and Young breaking out in laughter. Wade's seen this in the league and at the USA National Team training camp, when he was a new assistant coach and Mabrey was invited (for the first time).

How did they pause at all? I would have been busting out laughing right away.

 

[baggerbob]

Han Xu Re-signs with NY Liberty

- Whoa, this is -- in my humble opinion -- a huge (literal and otherwise) signing, given her continual improvement. The Liberty can throw JJ, Stewie, Han Xu or Stef at a team. And 'Sloot can set 'em all up.

A lot of the article examines how the rest of the roster might shake out. It's not a problem, save for the players involved.

https://www./wnba/new-york-liberty/what-han-xu-re-signing-with-the-liberty-means-for-2023/

With the signing of the younger Sabaly to a rookie contract. Both Willoughby and Richards might be cut. Both Kone and Sabaly are at a lower price, younger and a lot of potential.
Liberty practices will be a must watch.

 

[Geew1992]