Chiney to Sparks

[JoePgh]

While some tried to argue that the Chiney-wants-out story wasn't correct, this seems to confirm.

Mike Anthony: Connecticut Sun onto another season without Chiney Ogwumike, this time because she wanted out

Disappointed in Chiney.
And I disagree with the Sun. I either would've forced her to sit out the year, or I would've traded her to Indianapolis or Atlanta for a ham sandwich just to be vindictive. A late 1st round pick is of little value, especially next year.

I don't think Chiney did anything unreputable by forcing this trade. As many of you recall, Tina Charles made the exact same move to get from the Sun to the Liberty (and I wonder if she now regrets that!), and EDD did it also to get from Chicago to Washington. Teams are very coldblooded about trading or cutting players to serve the interests of the team, so you have to expect players to do the same thing. She was serving her career interests as she saw them. It is a situation where you have to expect everyone to act based on their own best interest as they see it.

 

[irsh4242]

I don't think Chiney did anything unreputable by forcing this trade. As many of you recall, Tina Charles made the exact same move to get from the Sun to the Liberty (and I wonder if she now regrets that!), and EDD did it also to get from Chicago to Washington. Teams are very coldblooded about trading or cutting players to serve the interests of the team, so you have to expect players to do the same thing. She was serving her career interests as she saw them. It is a situation where you have to expect everyone to act based on their own best interest as they see it.

True they both did the same thing. But Tina and EDD are higher caliber players. It’s not a good look for the sun. They should have stayed strong. I applaud Dallas for what they are doing now with the Cambage situation

 

[j66kicker]

True they both did the same thing. But Tina and EDD are higher caliber players. It’s not a good look for the sun. They should have stayed strong. I applaud Dallas for what they are doing now with the Cambage situation

But Cambage, even moreso than Chiney, doesn't care if she plays or sits out. WNBA is just a low-paying summer job unless you can get big promo deals in the USA from local (USA) name recognition.

 

[Alydar]

Agree. You would think they could figure out how to get a player that could give them some depth.

They should have said no deal and let her sit. A 2 time all-star has value to a team looking to win a title (unlike CT) and if they want her they should pay fair value. For CT. letting her sit is not much worse than taking a likely meaningless draft pick. I say CT should have gotten the option to take any one 1st round pick LA has, from any source, in the next 4 years. They would have until a week from the draft to decide if they want to exercize their option. CT should stumble onto a really really good play somewhere in those 4 years.

(and then they can keep her for a season or 2 and then trade her to a contender for 2 journeymen level players and a clock radio).

 

[willtalk]

While some tried to argue that the Chiney-wants-out story wasn't correct, this seems to confirm.

Mike Anthony: Connecticut Sun onto another season without Chiney Ogwumike, this time because she wanted out

Disappointed in Chiney.
And I disagree with the Sun. I either would've forced her to sit out the year, or I would've traded her to Indianapolis or Atlanta for a ham sandwich just to be vindictive. A late 1st round pick is of little value, especially next year.

They do not have that option. I believe Chiney has a trade approval option written into her contract. Even if she didn't what team would trade anything for her if she was going to sit if traded. That is the same sort of leverage that Cambage has over the Wings. I can understand Suns fans perspective, but it is just that - a fan rant with no substance other than righteous anger behind it. As has been often posted the salaries are not valuable enough to pull much weight with Star players who have multiple other options. Besides Chiney may only play until her and Nneka win a title. She seems about ready to quit anyway. She might just be a one or two at the most year rental. The same issue is there with Cambage. If teams thought she was committed to playing in the WNBA they might be more inclined to give up more value.

I feel sorry for Sun fans, but the reality is that once players gain some leverage they will usually want to leave.

 

[eebmg]

Chiney was interviewed by Sarah Spain on her podcast and the implication is that some stuff was going on that made things difficult. She would not give details but once things get to that level, you just have to clean house.

The best part is Morgan Tuck will get a lot more opportunities.

 

[Roger G]

The Sun are getting a first round pick in this trade, someone who might have an impact. If the Sun had not worked with Chiney, they would have got nothing after Chiney sat out a year.

As for CT not trying to win, since Curt Miller arrived, the Sun have had the third best record in the league.

 

[UConnCat]

Chiney was interviewed by Sarah Spain on her podcast and the implication is that some stuff was going on that made things difficult. She would not give details but once things get to that level, you just have to clean house.

The best part is Morgan Tuck will get a lot more opportunities.

I listened and learned nothing new about the situation with the Sun. it sounded like a bunch of gobbledygook to me. If she has something to say, then say it. I don't fault Chiney; I really don't care all that much. It seems the Sun treated her pretty fairly throughout her time in the organization.

 

[DishNSwish]

I'm biased too. Listen to my interview with Curt here;

SunCast: The Official Podcast of the Connecticut Sun - Connecticut Sun

Totally professional, explains everything, talks about how much he enjoyed coaching Chiney.

 

[psconn]

Chiney was interviewed by Sarah Spain on her podcast and the implication is that some stuff was going on that made things difficult. She would not give details but once things get to that level, you just have to clean house.

The best part is Morgan Tuck will get a lot more opportunities.

She needed to say what the real deal was in detail or not talk about it at all. Deniable suggestions, innuendo and hints trying to protect her brand image... not a great look. Unlikely to be called out on it in the happy-face, kid gloves world of WBB. Enough! No law against what she (and others) did, but please own it and move on. The more you talk, the more hurtful it is to the forgotten people in these scenarios who show up at the Arena and pay everyone's bills.

 

[UConnCat]

I'm biased too. Listen to my interview with Curt here;

SunCast: The Official Podcast of the Connecticut Sun - Connecticut Sun

Totally professional, explains everything, talks about how much he enjoyed coaching Chiney.

Chiney's agent, I presume.

 

[eebmg]

Chiney's agent, I presume.

It may very well be true. Not an unreasonable scenario. If this is the case, it is understandable that she would want to use whatever leverage she could to be traded to a destination she wants.

 

[psconn]

She has stated this before and the Sun addressed it.

 

[willtalk]

To be realistic, the Sun has been operating under a few distinctive handicaps. To begin with, their location dictated via the locality near the Uconn Fan base. In honesty, if it were not for the level of the Uconn fan following no team would locate there. That brought with it an initial advantage in that there was a built-in fan following for Women's basketball. However with that also came potential disadvantages For one if the fan support was built around Uconn fans, then credence had to be paid to stocking as many Uconn players as possible. Now being that Uconn was a major resource for Pro ready players that at first was not that much of a disadvantage. However with time, deciding how much weight to give to marketing needs and how much to team needs would eventually create conflicts of interests. A team not so dependant on a single college fan base would not face such a conflict.

The Uconn fan base pressure is an issue. We can see this by a fan stating that the one good thing about Chiney's trade is the added playing time for Tuck. If it were not for the Uconn fan base Tuck would not have been taken so high in the draft and created the need to trade Chelsea Gray to acquire Jones. The reality is that a large number of WNBA fans are drawn to a team that has the players that they followed as fans in college. Hey! I plead guilty to that as well.

Then you add the isolated location in respect to players, and it does create the types of problems that seem to have manifest with Chiney and a few other players. It's a "Catch 22" situation. For most players the location is something they can do little about. However, when/if they become superstars the develop the leverage to be able to force their way out.

To add one more thought to this post-- Fans need to realize that if teams play too much hardball with players, it has an impact on free agents signing with a team. It is not just about making a point with the player you are dealing with, but also the players you hope to sign as free agents in the future. If teams get too hard-nosed with players it certainly will discourage players from signing free agent contracts with such a team.because they might see themselves also in such a situation in the future.

 

[eebmg]

.......
The Uconn fan base pressure is an issue. We can see this by a fan stating that the one good thing about Chiney's trade is the added playing time for Tuck. If it were not for the Uconn fan base Tuck would not have been taken so high in the draft and created the need to trade Chelsea Gray to acquire Jones.

.......

I won't comment on the issues you brought up on some of the unique pressures of the Sun regarding UConn dominated fans but I would just like to point out that Tuck would have been the 3rd pick irregardless of the team (or very close if for some reason the team had that position covered). That was universally agreed .

Also, maybe you are referring to my post about M Tuck

Chiney was interviewed by Sarah Spain on her podcast and the implication is that some stuff was going on that made things difficult. She would not give details but once things get to that level, you just have to clean house.

The best part is Morgan Tuck will get a lot more opportunities.

I am just pointing out that Morgan has finally started to get her health to a point where her game is starting to show her promise and finding more minutes for her is a bright side to the trade. I would love to get equal value on a trade but it rarely happens.

Finally, I am a UConn WCBB fan that is often dismayed at the unwillingness of many of our fans to root for the WNBA in general and only do so to follow our players (if that much). But what can you do?

 

[ctkaiser]

So one fan commented about Chiney going means more time for Tuck. I don't think that means the majority of the fan base prefers Tuck over Chiney. If there's so much pressure on the Sun to take Uconn players why didn't they take Nurse over Lexie Brown. One comment has the the Sun with the 3rd best record since Miller took over but in key games they're not winning. As I said earlier moving Chiney should have been an opportunity to get quality depth. Sun seem to lean toward getting quality role players. Sometimes when your prime time players are having an off game a scorer or shutdown defensive player off the bench is what you need to win a key game.