2023 WNBA Free Agency | Page 9 | The Boneyard

2023 WNBA Free Agency

Here's a regular-type breakdown of that massive trade:

Chicago Sky receive:
  • Marina Mabrey (from Dallas in a sign-and-trade)
  • 2024 second-round pick (from Phoenix)
New York Liberty receive:
  • Rights to Leonie Fiebich (from Chicago)
  • 2024 second-round pick (from Chicago)
  • Rights to swap 2025 first-round picks (with Phoenix)
Phoenix Mercury receive:
  • Michaela Onyenwere (from New York)
  • 2024 third-round pick (from Chicago)
  • 2025 second-round pick (from Chicago)
Dallas Wings receive:
  • Diamond DeShields (from Phoenix)
  • 2023 first-round pick (from Chicago)
  • 2024 first-round pick (from Chicago)
  • Rights to swap 2025 first-round picks (with Chicago)
 
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Dillon77 said:
Here's a regular-type breakdown of that massive trade:

Chicago Sky receive:
  • Marina Mabrey (from Dallas in a sign-and-trade)
  • 2024 second-round pick (from Phoenix)
New York Liberty receive:
  • Rights to Leonie Fiebich (from Chicago)
  • 2024 second-round pick (from Chicago)
  • Rights to swap 2025 first-round picks (with Phoenix)
Phoenix Mercury receive:
  • Michaela Onyenwere (from New York)
  • 2024 third-round pick (from Chicago)
  • 2025 second-round pick (from Chicago)
Dallas Wings receive:
  • Diamond DeShields (from Phoenix)
  • 2023 first-round pick (from Chicago)
  • 2024 first-round pick (from Chicago)
  • Rights to swap 2025 first-round picks (with Chicago)
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I’m literally dumbstruck by this trade. Basically Phoenix gave away Deshields for a marginal player and late round picks, most of which haven’t found roster spots in sometime. That makes no sense at all.
 
triaddukefan said:
Does it seem like Dallas did some fleecing?
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One one hand, yes, but on the other hand, Dallas General Manager Greg Bibb never really distinguishes himself with his use of those draft picks.

Frankly, I'm not a huge fan of Diamond DeShields as a lynchpin of a team. How many balls can she & Arike share?

Don't blame Chicago Coach and GM James Wade for wanting Marina Mabrey, but even I (with that Golden Dome shining in my eyes) have to wonder about sending two first-round picks. ;) Marina's good, but Chicago's needs are great.
 
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triaddukefan said:
Does it seem like Dallas did some fleecing?
Expand ...
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.
 
Bigboote said:
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.
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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.
 
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BRS24 said:
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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.
 
Bigboote said:
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.
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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.
 
triaddukefan said:
Does it seem like Dallas did some fleecing?
Expand ...
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.
 
Taurasi I has signed a multi-year deal with the Mercury
 
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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/
 
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Dillon77 said:
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/
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The article leaves out the likely player to be cut Willoughby who makes 79,690 and was last player on bench last year.
 
bballnut90 said:
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.
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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...
 
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Orangutan said:
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...
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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.
 
TheFarmFan said:
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.
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An embarrassing grammatical oversight to be sure! :oops:
 
Orangutan said:
An embarrassing grammatical oversight to be sure! :oops:
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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.
 
Orangutan said:
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...
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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.
 
LowkeyX said:
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.
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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. :p
 
TheFarmFan said:
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.
Expand ...
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. :oops:

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