Players Cut by WNBA Teams

[Shades]

I'm still a little confused by Plaisance being on the roster. She tore her ACL in October. I really like her game, but I can't imagine she'll be contributing an awful lot 7-8 months out from reconstructive surgery.

It’s confusing to me too. Courtney Paris was hurt a lot last season and Plaisance stepped up in her place. So they like her. They let Paris walk, so I guess they felt they needed to secure Plaisance with a mult-year deal. Hopefully they got her for cheap since I dunno how much she’s going to contribute this year and she takes up a roster spot. Usually you don’t want to push a player to return too quickly from an ACL.

 

[bballnut90]

I think Kaleena has done at least as well as AZB, who went #2. I agree that it was a weak year. I hope--and think--that Kaleena can step up her game with the new coach. She just signed a new contract.

She's done better than AZB, but I don't think that's saying much of anything. We'll see how KML does this year, I wouldn't be surprised if she is improved.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

I'm still a little confused by Plaisance being on the roster. She tore her ACL in October. I really like her game, but I can't imagine she'll be contributing an awful lot7-8 months out from reconstructive surgery..

It’s confusing to me too. Courtney Paris was hurt a lot last season and Plaisance stepped up in her place. So they like her. They let Paris walk, so I guess they felt they needed to secure Plaisance with a mult-year deal. Hopefully they got her for cheap since I dunno how much she’s going to contribute this year and she takes up a roster spot. Usually you don’t want to push a player to return too quickly from an ACL.

Actually, it is not all that confusing.

January 15, 2018
WNBA free agency begins. Teams can start to negotiate contracts with free agents, though no deals can be signed until February 1, 2018.

January 17, 2018
Liz Cambage announces her return to Dallas and the WNBA (as expected, since Erin Phillips is now in the front office).
Cambage set for WNBA return

February 2, 2018
Courtney Paris signs a free agent deal with Seattle
Storm signs free agent center Courtney Paris

February 2, 2018
Theresa Plaisance, a restricted free agent, signs a deal with Dallas.
Dallas Wings re-sign restricted free agent forward Theresa Plaisance

It is worth noting that Plaisance averaged 7.7 ppg in 2017, which is what Paris averaged in 2016 (her last full healthy season). But it is also important to note that Plaisance brings a different element than Paris - three-point shooting. Having her there opens up the offense so much more, as Dallas has been relying on outside shooting from all five positions (notice Glory Johnson's improvement in her outside and three-point shooting). In a way, Dallas is mimicking certain elements from the Paul Westhead/Corey Gaines eras in Phoenix, when Penny Taylor and Tangela Smith were the frontcourt players who could step outside the paint, to the mid-range and to beyond the arc).

And with Cambage back (who also has some range on her shot, though she shows it more in Australia than she did in the W).

Plaisance was a restricted free agent, so a decision had to be made. In addition, under the salary cap, Paris was more expensive, given her status as a veteran. And while Johnson/Plaisance can play with Cambage, Paris and Cambage cannot play together.

 

[UConnCat]

 

[Carnac]

May 17: Final roster cut-down deadline — 12 players, 5:00 PM ET. Most teams are already down to 12.
Don't be surprised to see a few more notable names on the waiver list.

 

[Bigboote]

I'm not confused by the Wings keeping Plaisance, but by them keeping her on the active roster. Is there a reason (I don't know the rules) that they can't keep her on the suspended list, which is what most teams do with injured players?

TIA.

 

[Carnac]

Ooops. Couple hours later and the axe fell on Kat Westbeld and Brooke McCarty in Los Angeles. Kat should hop a plane back to South Bend and be able to join graduation ceremonies this weekend. If she wants to try to pursue a pro career and look for an overseas opportunity, this extended tryout could help.

No news is good news for Karlie Samuelson and the Sparks.

I expect to see many of the players that were among the final cuts to resurface overseas like Natalie Butler will. They have the talent, there was just not enough room for them THIS year in the W. Roster spots are at a premium this season.
Because there is so much talent being cut, it was suggested that perhaps the league will expand and add a team to the league. Just a thought.

 

[Shades]

I'm not confused by the Wings keeping Plaisance, but by them keeping her on the active roster. Is there a reason (I don't know the rules) that they can't keep her on the suspended list, which is what most teams do with injured players?

She was injured playing overseas, so they had no obligation to take care of her. What I would have done is sign her when she's ready to play and then cut a current player at that time. But I guess they were worried somebody else would sign her even though she was injured.... or else they're just taking care of her. That sort of thing can make a player loyal.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

I'm not confused by the Wings keeping Plaisance, but by them keeping her on the active roster. Is there a reason (I don't know the rules) that they can't keep her on the suspended list, which is what most teams do with injured players?

She was injured playing overseas, so they had no obligation to take care of her. What I would have done is sign her when she's ready to play and then cut a current player at that time. But I guess they were worried somebody else would sign her even though she was injured.... or else they're just taking care of her. That sort of thing can make a player loyal.

Plaisance was a restricted free agent, so if Dallas did not sign her, another team would. Then Dallas would either have to match the offer or let her walk (without getting anything in return).

 

[bballnut90]

I expect to see many of the players that were among the final cuts to resurface overseas like Natalie Butler will. They have the talent, there was just not enough room for them THIS year in the W. Roster spots are at a premium this season.
Because there is so much talent being cut, it was suggested that perhaps the league will expand and add a team to the league. Just a thought.

Butler just isn’t a WNBA caliber player. Doesn’t have the skills or athleticism to compete with quality players her size. That’s the issue. On top of that, next year will be tougher when players like Brown, McCowan, Turner, Shepard, Gustafson, etc. enter the league and are all far better players than Butler. Plus current rookies like Wilson, Russell, Billings, Stevens, Vadeeva, Gulich, and Mavunga will all have a leg up on Butler since most will play a full season in the W to learn the ropes and make the transition. It’s pretty rare that we see rookies get cut and make rosters in later years.

 

[Shades]

The newest cuts have been updated.
Transactions - WNBA

The most surprising one to me is Raisa Musina, who never made it into camp. I think somebody here thought she could be the #1 pick. She ended up being the #21 pick to PHX and never made into camp for some reason.

Speaking of the #21 pick, PHX traded Cayla George to the Sun for the #21 pick. Both Cayla George and the #21 pick ended up getting waived. Unlucky #21.

Leticia Romero got cut by the Sun. Not a huge surprise. They have a lot of guards.

 

[MilfordHusky]

She's done better than AZB, but I don't think that's saying much of anything. We'll see how KML does this year, I wouldn't be surprised if she is improved.

Yeah, things are relative. K needs to step up soon or she'll have a 5-year career. I think the new coach will help. I still think her shooting touch is as good as any, despite her WNBA shooting stats.

 

[JellyBean]

I see that Taya Reimer was cut recently. That was a surprise.

Don't see any updates on roster cuts, though the season is about to start. Lots of players to be waived.

Feel free to add names as they come up.

Wow. That is a surprise. Taya could be an impact type player given the right team and coach. Decent size, Pretty strong on the low block area, and excellent passer.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

The newest cuts have been updated.
Transactions - WNBA

The most surprising one to me is Raisa Musina, who never made it into camp. I think somebody here thought she could be the #1 pick. She ended up being the #21 pick to PHX and never made into camp for some reason.

Speaking of the #21 pick, PHX traded Cayla George to the Sun for the #21 pick. Both Cayla George and the #21 pick ended up getting waived. Unlucky #21.

Leticia Romero got cut by the Sun. Not a huge surprise. They have a lot of guards.

Isn't Raisa Musina the amazing post player who helped clobber UConn during their pre-season overseas trip last summer? I'd be willing to bet that she didn't think the WNBA was worth her time, or that she wanted to recover or train or something, instead of playing for little real cash in the U.S.

Guessing that there's a story there, and that it has nothing to do with ability. Maybe another Sandrine Gruda who just didn't want to decamp to a summer league in the States?

 

[DallasBUFan]

What teams are left to make cuts? Deadline is today.

 

[Orangutan]

Wow. That is a surprise. Taya could be an impact type player given the right team and coach. Decent size, Pretty strong on the low block area, and excellent passer.

She only started 13 of the 31 games she played in for a 19-14 Michigan State team and averaged 8.8 points and 4.4 rebounds. For all her talent (and I was among her biggest cheerleaders in her time at ND), she was a mediocre player on a mediocre team last year.

 

[CocoHusky]

The newest cuts have been updated.
Transactions - WNBA
The most surprising one to me is Raisa Musina, who never made it into camp. I think somebody here thought she could be the #1 pick. She ended up being the #21 pick to PHX and never made into camp for some reason.

Nope!

Been saying this for a while now, these WNBA mocks are sleeping on both Russians.
Maria Vadeeva should be among the top five picks and Raisa Musina should be somewhere in the first round.

Why are you surprised that a player that never made it to camp got waived?

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Nope!

Why are you surprised that a player that never made it to camp got waived?

But Musina and her fellow post player Vadeeva did combine for 59 points to defeat the USA U-19 team last summer that included Crystal Dangerfield and Megan Walker.

USA Women Fall To Russia 86-82, Collect Silver At FIBA U19 World Cup

 

[MilfordHusky]

From all I have read, both Russians are talented enough to play in the W, but they don't seem to want to. Maybe it's the pay scale.

 

[Carnac]

Dallas' roster is down to 12. Chong and Stevens made the cut.

I just looked at the final list of cuts for today. I predicted that there would be some notable names on the waiver list today, I was right.

Aces head coach "Trader Bill" Laimbeer must be a seer. He signed Shoni Schimmel this past Tuesday (May 15) after she was waived by the Liberty, and kept her. She made the cut. I like her, I'm glad she's back in the W.

 

[Jlong231]

Sparks made there final cuts, looks like karlie didn’t make it, but it’s weird because sparks only have 11 players, they have a open roster spot right? I wonder what they are doing with it.

 

[Orangutan]

Sparks made there final cuts, looks like karlie didn’t make it, but it’s weird because sparks only have 11 players, they have a open roster spot right? I wonder what they are doing with it.

Some teams just choose to carry 11.

 

[Hayven]

Sparks made there final cuts, looks like karlie didn’t make it, but it’s weird because sparks only have 11 players, they have a open roster spot right? I wonder what they are doing with it.

Their twitter page also has Vadeeva as making the cut, but the WNBA website indicates the Sparks waived her

 

[Jlong231]

Some teams just choose to carry 11.

Someone mentioned just like Minnesota who also only has 11 players, it may just be a salary cap thing

 

[Jlong231]

Their twitter page also has Vadeeva as making the cut, but the WNBA website indicates the Sparks waived her

That’s weird and it also has lavender as temporily suspended, do you think it’s because both her and Vadeeva are still over seas? But I don’t remember them doing that when lavender was over seas last season