Coach Agler says Moriah is "full go" for next year

[Plebe]

Dallas-native Moriah Jefferson attends Wings' win over Liberty, coach Brian Agler says she's a 'full-go' for next season

Since the Wings traded for Moriah Jefferson in the preseason deal that sent Liz Cambage to the Las Vegas Aces, she has yet to play for her new...

sportsday.dallasnews.com

"I had dinner with Moriah last night," Agler said. "Glad to see her here, she's full-go next year, she just wants to be totally healthy. She's getting there."​

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Nice pic of Moriah with her mom, at the Wings-Liberty game:

 

[BobbyJ]

Dallas-native Moriah Jefferson attends Wings' win over Liberty, coach Brian Agler says she's a 'full-go' for next season

Since the Wings traded for Moriah Jefferson in the preseason deal that sent Liz Cambage to the Las Vegas Aces, she has yet to play for her new...

sportsday.dallasnews.com

"I had dinner with Moriah last night," Agler said. "Glad to see her here, she's full-go next year, she just wants to be totally healthy. She's getting there."​

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Nice pic of Moriah with her mom, at the Wings-Liberty game:

View attachment 45693

Still looks like she's in Jr High. And her Mom looks about 35.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Where does Moriah fit in with Skylar and Arike?

 

[Orangutan]

Where does Moriah fit in with Skylar and Arike?

I wonder if they'd try Skylar at 2 some. Maybe start Skylar and Arike and then have Moriah playing point off the bench with either Arike or Skylar at 2?

The Wings could be pretty good next year, especially if the lottery breaks right. They are starting to get a little momentum late in the season as it is. If they have the opportunity to draft Lauren Cox they could have a nice little stew cooking.

 

[southofnorth]

I wonder if they'd try Skylar at 2 some. Maybe start Skylar and Arike and then have Moriah playing point off the bench with either Arike or Skylar at 2?

The Wings could be pretty good next year, especially if the lottery breaks right. They are starting to get a little momentum late in the season as it is. If they have the opportunity to draft Lauren Cox they could have a nice little stew cooking.

This is exactly what I was thinking. Both Skylar and Arike can play the 1, but have traditionally been placed at the 2 and played the 1 as needed throughout the game. Moriah would fill in that 1 position and allow Skylar and Arike more freedom offensively since they wouldn’t be relied on to set up the offense.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Skylar is a shoot-first PG. Arike is a dynamic SG who is playing out of position at PG. I think a rotation of Moriah with those 2 could work, but only if Sky and Arike were content to play off the ball and shoot only when they had a quality shot. If they want to dominate the ball, Moriah's skills will be underutilized on offense.

 

[Shades]

I think Dallas wants to play Diggins more off the ball. That’s why they tried bringing in Romero last year. It’s also why they pursued Jefferson as a part of the trade package for Cambage. They didn’t pursue Jefferson to be a backup, in my opinion.

The idea of Dallas trading Diggins has been popping into my mind lately. I’m thinking of the Liberty as the trade destination. Her management is headquartered in NYC, and there’s also this tie between the new owner of the Liberty and JayZ. They’re both investors in Barclays Arena. The team’s lead guard situation could use a little solidifying. They can’t really decide who they want as lead guard from their current squad. They keep jumping back and forth from Boyd to Hartley. Would it be worth it to the Liberty to give up their lottery pick in 2020 plus something else for Diggins?

 

[mdakota]

Las Vegas is silly... they seriously down graded when they kept Plum over Mo Jet. It's baffling.

 

[Reypl21]

Las Vegas is silly... they seriously down graded when they kept Plum over Mo Jet. It's baffling.

Plum has been healthy enough to play. I agree that MoJeff is the superior PG when healthy... But she hasn't proven she can stay healthy. Why keep her if she can't even play? They aren't silly at all. Plum's been more productive this season than MoJeff. Time will tell next year if that changes.

 

[Plebe]

Las Vegas is silly... they seriously down graded when they kept Plum over Mo Jet. It's baffling.

They didn't "keep Plum over" Moriah. They traded Moriah (plus Harrison plus draft picks) for Cambage.

Considering that Cambage is a probable all-WNBA selection, ranking near the top of the league in multiple statistical categories, while Jefferson has yet to play a game this year or prove she can stay healthy for an entire season, I'd say it's a total non-baffler.

If anything is baffling, it's why Dallas didn't demand more sweeteners than just Harrison and a couple draft picks.

 

[UConnCat]

Dallas had experience with 2 guards who like to control the ball -- Diggins and Sims -- and it didn't work out too well. They would combine for 25-30 shots a game and the team lost more than they won. Arike and Diggins could be more of the same.

 

[bbsamjj]

A rotation of Diggins/Arike/MoJeff and Alisha Gray (who is quietly having a very good year for the Wings--10.3ppg, 4.5rpg, 2.5apg on 46% FG shooting) at the 1-2 spots, assuming everyone is healthy, would be very solid and one would think not a lot of drop off when you go to the bench, no matter who starts.

Where Dallas needs the most help by far is in the post. Glory Johnson has seen a major fall in production the past two years, Isabelle Harrison is an adequate center but not much more right now, and neither Azura or Imani McGee-Stafford have ever broken out. If the draft gods fall their way, Lauren Cox is the perfect fit for them need wise and marketing wise (as a TX product).

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I would not be surprised to find a trade happen next spring.

 

[ucbart]

I would not be surprised to find a trade happen next spring.

Agree-I think SDS is a 1, but a Westbrook type PG that shoots first. SDS and Arike are the WNBA's version of Westbrook/Harden.

If NY gets the #1 pick they pick Ionescu. If they don't, I would trade Amanda Zauhi B, Hartley, and Brittany Boyd to Dallas for Moriah and draft Cox.

 

[EricLA]

Agree-I think SDS is a 1, but a Westbrook type PG that shoots first. SDS and Arike are the WNBA's version of Westbrook/Harden.

If NY gets the #1 pick they pick Ionescu. If they don't, I would trade Amanda Zauhi B, Hartley, and Brittany Boyd to Dallas for Moriah and draft Cox.

Agree. IMHO, no matter WHO gets the first pick, they take Ionescu whether they need that position or not. Then trade anyone else they DON'T need. I've heard people floating the idea of certain teams taking Cox as the top pick because they have more needs there.

Again, IMHO, that's crazy talk. It would be like passing on Diana as the top pick back in the day cuz you had too many other guards and needed post help. Cox could be a very good to great NBA player. But she's no Lisa Leslie (or Yolanda Griffith or EDD)... IMHO Ionescu is a shoe-in as a future Olympian and will be one of the greats in the league. Never injured, never sick, and by far the best all around college player out there...

She's the type of player you build a team around. Cox is the type of player who will be a starter and an all star, but not a franchise player (she could be - I just don't see it at this time)...

 

[bballnut90]

Agree. IMHO, no matter WHO gets the first pick, they take Ionescu whether they need that position or not. Then trade anyone else they DON'T need. I've heard people floating the idea of certain teams taking Cox as the top pick because they have more needs there.

Again, IMHO, that's crazy talk. It would be like passing on Diana as the top pick back in the day cuz you had too many other guards and needed post help. Cox could be a very good to great NBA player. But she's no Lisa Leslie (or Yolanda Griffith or EDD)... IMHO Ionescu is a shoe-in as a future Olympian and will be one of the greats in the league. Never injured, never sick, and by far the best all around college player out there...

She's the type of player you build a team around. Cox is the type of player who will be a starter and an all star, but not a franchise player (she could be - I just don't see it at this time)...

Maybe I'm crazy, but if I'm Dallas with my roster, I'd definitely take Cox over Sabrina with a #1 pick at this point. Or trade the pick with whoever gets #2 and milk it for what it's worth. Cox is a hometown player and an excellent passer that should pair well with a Diggins/Arike backcourt. Sabrina is great and probably is a future Olympian and All-WNBA player, but Cox is also extremely unique as a prospect and is not far behind. I don't think there is post player in the league like her right now with her ability to pass and defend. In the last 2 weekends she put up:
South Carolina-17 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 blocks
Iowa-22 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals
Oregon-21 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals
Notre Dame-8 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists before going down with injury

She was playing better than anyone in the country to finish the year and absolutely controlled the paint. Her best work was defensively--she shut down Hebard, and neither Turner/Shepard were effective going up against her. Her overall numbers aren't eye popping since Baylor had a deep roster and was rarely challenged, but eye test says she's right there with Sabrina. I think either would have been #1 overall this past season. The drop off after #2 next year is going to be massive for whoever gets stuck with the #3 and #4 picks.

 

[eebmg]

So, maybe a 2020 Mock draft is not out of place on this thread

2020 WNBA Mock Draft - WNBA - DraftSite.com

I don't know why I was so unhappy with the Liberty season.
Come on Katie. I know you can do it

and now routing hard for Arike.

 

[Ozimoto]

Just glad to hear that Mo is healthy!

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Just wondering why this sort of information isn't highlighted on the WNBA website? They do a crappy job of informing the fanbase about the players and their status.

 

[Dillon77]

So, maybe a 2020 Mock draft is not out of place on this thread

2020 WNBA Mock Draft - WNBA - DraftSite.com

I don't know why I was so unhappy with the Liberty season.
Come on Katie. I know you can do it

and now routing hard for Arike.

View attachment 45725

Kaila Charles to Dallas? With Arike and Alisha Gray? Given what I've read on the thread, you't think Dallas would pinpoint someone up front: a small forward (Bella Alarie); power forward (Ruthie Hebard) or even another center (Beatrice Mompremier).

I see what the picker is doing with Lauren Cox is doing sending her to Indiana: trying to replicate another twin -ower situation, but this time with Ms. Teaira McCowan. However, if Indiana gets that #1, I think they absolutely have to pull the trigger on Sabrina Ionescu. (And with all respect, they should pull the exit cord on Coach Chapman at the end of the season....).

 

[MilfordHusky]

I like Kaila Charles, but I've read concerns about her perimeter game, and some folks have her 5-10 spots lower.

 

[bballnut90]

Kaila Charles to Dallas? With Arike and Alisha Gray? Given what I've read on the thread, you't think Dallas would pinpoint someone up front: a small forward (Bella Alarie); power forward (Ruthie Hebard) or even another center (Beatrice Mompremier).

I see what the picker is doing with Lauren Cox is doing sending her to Indiana: trying to replicate another twin -ower situation, but this time with Ms. Teaira McCowan. However, if Indiana gets that #1, I think they absolutely have to pull the trigger on Sabrina Ionescu. (And with all respect, they should pull the exit cord on Coach Chapman at the end of the season....).

Indy I'd 100% take Sabrina. Trade one of the Mitchell's and a backcourt of Sabrina/Wheeler, plus Mitchell/Vivians on the wing and a frontcourt of McCowan, Achonwa and Dupree has massive upside and could be a great core going forward.