Kelsey Bone (Aces) WNBA

[DaddyChoc]

Another trade out of Phoenix
I thought her playing career was over but then she signed to play in Italy recently and now has been signed and traded from Phx to Vegas. Interesting... big body with plenty of upside, I always heard there was issues with chemistry with teams.

Hopefully she has a great career going forward

 

[mdakota]

Hopefully Bill can reign her in.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Hopefully Bill can reign her in.

how so, what needs to be reigned in?

 

[WiseOne]

Do u guys still think they will take A’ja?

 

[Go/huskies]

Do u guys still think they will take A’ja?

Saw on the WNBA message board that Bill could be looking to trade the #1 to Chicago for picks 3 and 4, possibly to draft Diamond and Gabby.

 

[HGN]

Saw on the WNBA message board that Bill could be looking to trade the #1 to Chicago for picks 3 and 4, possibly to draft Diamond and Gabby.

Actually , that wouldn't be a bad trade for Laimbeer. If he's got Bone for 1 or 2 serviceable years , instead of A'ja , but has a wing like Diamond and an all around player like Gabby it's a win-win. Keeping in mind that the following year for BIGS he may have a shot at Azura , Kalani Brown , or the big girl at Miss. St..

So if Bill is able to pull this type trade off , it's a winner in my mind.

JMHO.

 

[rt bb fan]

I think Chicago needs diamond and gabby more than they need A'ja. Chicago has enough bigs with Stef, Coastes and not sure how to spell her name A bulkat.

 

[psconn]

They also signed 6'6" center Carolyn Swords so Trader Bill is bringing former NY players that he knows together in the post. As far as Bone goes, she is extremely talented but was a really bad fit in the Sun locker room. Kelsey goes her own way, loves to make quotable comments to the press, and in general was disruptive to the culture and game flow Curt Miller wanted to build. That said, she is very strong, can really run the floor, and has a pretty varied offensive game for a burly post. I always thought he had the potential to be great. I think Bill likes edgy players and will probably get a lot out of her (unfortunately).

 

[bballnut90]

If Trader Bill pulls that off, look out. Williams and Deshields both have their causes for concern but they might be the two best athletes in the draft and Bill does a great job with athletic players. Add that to a core of McBride, Harrison, Jefferson, and Plum and you have a young but talented team. And as others have mentioned, next year the draft includes Kalani Brown, McCowan, Anigwe, Brianna Turner and Stevens who all have tools to be very good pro PFs or centers. Brown and McCowan are probably the best pro center prospects since Griner. Give them 2 more years and they could contend for the west as Minnesota continues to age and players like Bird, Taurasi, and Parker will likely slow down.

As a side note—2019 looks like a really good draft class. You have the 5 above, plus Ogunbowale, KLS, Collier, Durr, Cunningham, and others who im probably forgetting.

 

[Dillon77]

If Trader Bill pulls that off, look out. Williams and Deshields both have their causes for concern but they might be the two best athletes in the draft and Bill does a great job with athletic players. Add that to a core of McBride, Harrison, Jefferson, and Plum and you have a young but talented team. And as others have mentioned, next year the draft includes Kalani Brown, McCowan, Anigwe, Brianna Turner and Stevens who all have tools to be very good pro PFs or centers. Brown and McCowan are probably the best pro center prospects since Griner. Give them 2 more years and they could contend for the west as Minnesota continues to age and players like Bird, Taurasi, and Parker will likely slow down.

As a side note—2019 looks like a really good draft class. You have the 5 above, plus Ogunbowale, KLS, Collier, Durr, Cunningham, and others who im probably forgetting.

Brianna Turner was interviewed recently and besides rehab for her injured knee has been doing all sorts of masochistic drills to build up upper body strength. She is also working "daily" on improving her jump shot, to add to her layups and driving hooks.
BTW, I wouldn't discount Turner's frontcourt mate, Jessica Shepard, who has made -- and will hopefully continue to make -- strides in her conditioning. But there's no discounting her offensive skills, from shooting and passing, to even dribbling.
When Turner comes back to the low post in 2018-19, Shep will move into the high post (Westbeld's current slot) and will probably become even more effective offensively.

 

[psconn]

If Trader Bill pulls that off, look out. Williams and Deshields both have their causes for concern but they might be the two best athletes in the draft and Bill does a great job with athletic players. Add that to a core of McBride, Harrison, Jefferson, and Plum and you have a young but talented team. And as others have mentioned, next year the draft includes Kalani Brown, McCowan, Anigwe, Brianna Turner and Stevens who all have tools to be very good pro PFs or centers. Brown and McCowan are probably the best pro center prospects since Griner. Give them 2 more years and they could contend for the west as Minnesota continues to age and players like Bird, Taurasi, and Parker will likely slow down.

As a side note—2019 looks like a really good draft class. You have the 5 above, plus Ogunbowale, KLS, Collier, Durr, Cunningham, and others who im probably forgetting.

Agree, and will show great improvement right out of the box. It was only gross mismanagement that kept the Stars from being better before. They are loaded with talent and might be the next big thing (unfortunately).

PS- DeShields and Bone in the same locker room would make for an interesting chemistry dynamic.

 

[VAMike23]

Mo’s squad could do some interesting things this year — I hope she has that leg healthy again after the procedure and the winter layoff.

She is a fine-tuned racing machine !

 

[Shades]

First of all, that rumor is more speculation than anything solid. I dunno.... it’s tough if not impossible to win in the WNBA without at least one franchise (MVP-level) player, so to pass on Wilson seems like a big gamble. But Laimbeer is in Vegas now, so maybe he’ll surprise me.
I seriously doubt Laimbeer is going to go into this year with goals anything less than winning a championship. So he’s going to build the best team he can now. He’s not the two or three year plan type of guy. Look at how well the first year Las Vegas NHL hockey team is doing. That’s going to be part of his aspiration.

 

[trb123]

I thank the Connecticut journalist (Jim Fuller?) whose contact with the Bones family made sure that she did not end up at Storrs.
I wish her the best in the WNBA although she has been nothing but a pain on many teams.

 

[Carnac]

Do u guys still think they will take A’ja?

Yes. Bone's better days may be behind her. A'ja's are still in front of her. Wilson can be a serviceable post player for at least 10 years. Bone won't be around half that long.

If for some strange reason, Laimbeer is not interested in Wilson, he drafts her anyway, and then uses her for trade bait.
Wilson would fetch a pretty fair bounty if put on the market to the highest bidder.

 

[Carnac]

They also signed 6'6" center Carolyn Swords so Trader Bill is bringing former NY players that he knows together in the post. As far as Bone goes, she is extremely talented but was a really bad fit in the Sun locker room. Kelsey goes her own way, loves to make quotable comments to the press, and in general was disruptive to the culture and game flow Curt Miller wanted to build. That said, she is very strong, can really run the floor, and has a pretty varied offensive game for a burly post. I always thought he had the potential to be great. I think Bill likes edgy players and will probably get a lot out of her (unfortunately).

I predicted that would happen when the Aces announced him as their new coach. He's not done.

 

[dtbtbtb]

Why does he need to trade Wilson? Bone, Wilson and Harrison make for a nice rotation in the 4 and 5 positions

 

[psconn]

Yes. Bone's better days may be behind her. A'ja's are still in front of her. Wilson can be a serviceable post player for at least 10 years. Bone won't be around half that long.

If for some strange reason, Laimbeer is not interested in Wilson, he drafts her anyway, and then uses her for trade bait.
Wilson would fetch a pretty fair bounty if put on the market to the highest bidder.

She's only 26 years old and has no chronic injury issues that I am aware of.

 

[Carnac]

She's only 26 years old and has no chronic injury issues that I am aware of.

I qualified my take with a "may be". We know she has had some "challenges" with the Sun, and wanted to leave. I'm not aware of any issues she may have had in Phoenix. Sometimes a change of venue and teammates can do a player good. We'll see.

She was a dominant player during her days with the Sun. If she can get her mind ans body right, perhaps she can recapture that dominance once again. She was a BIG bruiser. Laimbeer likes bruisers. He was one during his days as a "Bad boy" with the Pistons. If she can, she can definitely help the Aces win games. I hope she does.

 

[psconn]

I think it's more likely Kelsey's best days are in front of her. She seems to be coming in with a bit of a chip on her shoulder and I think Bill handles this personality type well (unfortunately). As I said above she is really a big-time talent. As much as I despise Laimbeer, he is good at his job.

 

[psconn]

Why does he need to trade Wilson? Bone, Wilson and Harrison make for a nice rotation in the 4 and 5 positions

Not sure if he will or won't trade her but don't forget Carolyn Swords and a 12 woman roster limit.

 

[Carnac]

Why does he need to trade Wilson? Bone, Wilson and Harrison make for a nice rotation in the 4 and 5 positions

I completely agree!!!! I was responding to a poster that asked if Laimbeer was still going to draft Wilson now that he had Bone. Wilson can start packing now for Las Vegas. She's coming west as sure as I'm writing this comment!!! You can always get guards and wings. Dominant post players not so much. I'd be shocked if he doesn't draft Wilson first. She's been the consensus #1 pick for the 2018 WNBA draft since last summer.

The Aces (San Antonio Stars) had the worst record in the WNBA the last 2 seasons. They need help at every position. Isabelle Harrison (who I like) was their starting post player last season. It's a toss up (once they get Wilson) if they keep Harrison. I hope they do. You never know, someone else might like her too, and make ol' trader Bill an offer (trade) he can't refuse. I've been following that team closely since they drafted Moriah Jefferson 2 years ago.

 

[Carnac]

Not sure if he will or won't trade her but don't forget Carolyn Swords and a 12 woman roster limit.

Would Laimbeer keep 4 post players?

 

[bballnut90]

Brianna Turner was interviewed recently and besides rehab for her injured knee has been doing all sorts of masochistic drills to build up upper body strength. She is also working "daily" on improving her jump shot, to add to her layups and driving hooks.
BTW, I wouldn't discount Turner's frontcourt mate, Jessica Shepard, who has made -- and will hopefully continue to make -- strides in her conditioning. But there's no discounting her offensive skills, from shooting and passing, to even dribbling.
When Turner comes back to the low post in 2018-19, Shep will move into the high post (Westbeld's current slot) and will probably become even more effective offensively.

Good for Turner. She's never going to have a big frame but I think she could be an outstanding pro if she can stay healthy and put on some muscle. I thought she was a best player from her class after watching them both as freshmen. She's dealt with significant injuries every season so far which isn't a great sign, but I still think she could be great.

Shepard will definitely get drafted, she is exceptional offensively and has a lot of similarities to Janel McCarville with her passing. I don't think she's at the same level as the players mentioned, but she should make a roster. Notre Dame will be a MUCH stronger team next year if players recover from injuries. Shepard/Turner, Cox/Brown, and Collier/Stevens will make for some really great front court duos next year....not to mention Texas who has more posts than anyone.

 

[Carnac]

Actually , that wouldn't be a bad trade for Laimbeer. If he's got Bone for 1 or 2 serviceable years , instead of A'ja , but has a wing like Diamond and an all around player like Gabby it's a win-win. Keeping in mind that the following year for BIGS he may have a shot at Azura , Kalani Brown , or the big girl at Miss. St..

So if Bill is able to pull this type trade off , it's a winner in my mind.

JMHO.

Can't argue with your logic. Rome was not built in a day. He might covet Brown or McCowan more than Wilson. No rush to secure his franchise post player this year. Teams will line up for Wilson. As you said, He may have his eye on Chicago's 2 first round picks. Two for one is usually a good trade. Those are the types of deals he's known for. After all of the free agents have been signed, I expect the wheeling and dealing to really heat up, especially in the days leading up to the draft.