Connecticut Sun Trades Kelsey Bone To Phoenix For Courtney WIlliams

[reno tony]

JAVAMAN, i personally think its good for Kelly and Morgan. I saw alot of selfish saturday-at-the-park play especially in the beginning of the seaon. My only concern is Courtney being a team player. She wont dominate as she did in college, and there were some personal issues evident, as her college coach sat her at times. Hoping she learned while with Phoenix sitting the pine. Sometimes thats what it takes. All in all, regardless of Bone's talent being gone, this will bone well for the Conn and Phoenix.

How did you come to a conclusion that if a coach sits a player means that it is a personal issue? Is there something else that you know that we don't?

 

[JoePgh]

Given where the Sun are this season, this trade makes perfect sense to me, for many of the reasons elaborated by psconn in his excellent post above. I would add that Kelsey Bone's consistent rebounding and very inconsistent scoring were (IMHO) outweighed by her tendency to make mistakes -- missed layups, missed defensive assignments, obviously not being where the coach wanted her.

I remember one game a few weeks ago where the Sun's starting 5 were down by about 15 when Kelly and a few other benchwarmers came in the game. Although less talented than the starters, they played by the book per the coach's instructions and got the game tied in about 10 or 12 minutes.

A few years ago when the the Sun acquired Bone from the Liberty in the forced trade for Tina Charles, I wondered why Laimbeer would part with a good young player to obtain Tina when he could just have waited for one summer and signed Tina as a free agent. Lately, it is becoming more clear what he probably had in mind -- it was an opportunity to get rid of a player whom he had decided he did not want on the team.

Bone has not been the most coachable of players -- remember that she played for Dawn Staley and then transferred to A&M. Despite a good coach there and some talent around her, the team was never as good as one might have expected, and I now think it had to do with her attitude. That was manifested in one game against UConn in 2012 which I re-watched recently. Early in that game, Stef Dolson got between Bone and the basket while Bone was watching the ball move, and Caroline Doty hit Dolson with a perfect pass. Bone turned around and roughly shoved Stef out of bounds when she realized she had been played. The refs (in College Station) gave her an intentional foul on that play. UConn went on to win by over 30 points, Stef had a big game, and Bone scored in single digits.

Geno would probably say that he was never as lucky as he was the day that Kelsey Bone turned down his scholarship offer. If she had accepted it, there would have been a hurricane in Storrs.

One other point about the trade: Unlike some naysayers here, I can't fault the GM's or coach's judgment about this particular transaction. Despite the Sun's record, I think their moves have been rational and well-considered, with one MAJOR exception: I think their faith in Rachel Banham is thoroughly misplaced, and that they should have taken Jonquel Jones with the 4th pick so that they wouldn't have to part with Chelsea Gray and their #1 pick next year to get her. Now their roster is more balanced between front court and back court, and they have another fast guard who can score (Courtney Williams). Coach Miller has gotten all three of the players that he targeted in this year's rookie class, although I think he should have passed on the one from Minnesota.

I think the next player to go may be Camille Little. She hasn't been very productive in the substantial minute she has played. If the roster is similar next year (and it probably will be), Jillian Alleyne will probably take her roster spot.

 

[psconn]

From Sunday's Bulletin. As an invested Sun fan, this 4 year stretch is all just very sad. It appears there may be more unhappiness to come and no savior on the horizon. To paraphrase Rick Pitino "Taj, Nykesha, KT, Margo, Asjha and Lindsey are not walking through that door".

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/article/20160626/SPORTS/160629561/0/SEARCH

 

[DaddyChoc]

A few years ago when the the Sun acquired Bone from the Liberty in the forced trade for Tina Charles, I wondered why Laimbeer would part with a good young player to obtain Tina when he could just have waited for one summer and signed Tina as a free agent. Lately, it is becoming more clear what he probably had in mind -- it was an opportunity to get rid of a player whom he had decided he did not want on the team.

Tina for Bone... only a fool wouldn't make that trade. I think Tina wanted out of Connecticut more than Bill wanted to get rid of Bone

 

[DaddyChoc]

Bone has not been the most coachable of players -- remember that she played for Dawn Staley and then transferred to A&M. Despite a good coach there and some talent around her, the team was never as good as one might have expected, and I now think it had to do with her attitude.

did they win the SEC title for the 1st time that year?

 

[triaddukefan]

did they win the SEC title for the 1st time that year?

No.... that was before they started to get good.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Touche' cabbie!!

I'm touchy too --so hands off.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I wish I had a Krispy Cream in my area, but it's for the best... I don't think my diabetes would fair too well ;P

Please watch your diet and weight. Dialysis is not fun, debilitating, and time consuming. My wife and I (yes me) just lost her sister after battling both kidney and diabetes--her heart gave out.
I know you are kidding about Krispy--
I thought diabetes was a lark--stupid me--then Annette was diagnosed --too late.
Please put yourself first and take care of your body.

 

[Shades]

MoJeff for Bone? I can't think of a worst trade. That would be a blunder of epic proportions for SA.

Bone for DRob? Bone's gonna be a RFA next season so might as well swap players for what's needed.