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Message: [QUOTE="CamrnCrz1974, post: 3406931, member: 1052"] Kalani Brown averaged those 5.1 points and 3.5 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per game (while shooting 47.8 percent from the floor and 78.3 percent from the foul line). In other words, she was productive in the limited minutes she received. Why did she receive limited minutes? In terms of post options (PF/C players who primarily score in the paint or close to the basket), Los Angeles had Candace Parker, Nneka Ogwumike, Chiney Ogwumike, and Maria Vadeeva on the roster last season (Vadeeva played in approximately half of the games, as she missed time due to overseas commitments). Also, in games that I saw in person, Brown did not appear to be in the best basketball shape. A professional-level conditioning program would help to prepare her for the 2020 WNBA season. There is [U]almost zero probability[/U] of New York trading the #1 pick. First, the #1 pick has only been traded once -- in 2007, when the Phoenix Mercury traded #1 Lindsey Harding for Tangela Smith. The 2007 draft was considered to be fairly weak and the Mercury front office didn't feel that there was a player available that would put them over the top. Phoenix traded Harding in a draft day deal for Smith, to acquire a player necessary to put Phoenix (who had Diana Taurasi, Penny Taylor, Cappie Pondexter, and Kelly Miller) over the top. Smith was part of the Mercury's WNBA Championship teams in 2007 and 2009. New York is not nearly as close as Phoenix was to being a contender. Second, here are some of New York's offensive statistics from 2019: [LIST] [*]8th in PPG [*]10th in FG% - .414 [*]8th in 3pt. FG% - .334 [*]8th in FG made per game [*]8th in FT made per game [*]10th in turnovers per game [/LIST] And here are some of New York's defensive statistics from 2019: [LIST] [*]12th (last) in opponents' PPG [*]10th in opponents' FG% [*]12th (last) in opponents' 3pt. FG% [*]11th in opponents' FG made [*]11th in opponents' 3pt. FG made [*]12th (last) in opponents' FT made [/LIST] What does this say? New York's offense was not very good, and the Liberty could not stop teams on the defensive end. [LIST] [*][I]Brittney Boyd[/I] is NY's best playmaker, but she cannot shoot from the outside (she has made a total of 31 three-point baskets in 128 career games), which makes her a liability on offense. [*][I]Bria Hartley[/I] is a good playmaker, but her outside shooting has plummeted in the last two years with New York. And she is better suited as a combo guard off the bench -- someone who can give you 7-8 points and 3 assists in relief of the starting PG and/or SG. [*]As a rookie, [I]Asia Durr [/I]showed promise as a complementary scorer, but her season was cut short by injury -- and she needs to be consistent with her three ball. [*]In 2019, [I]Tina Charles[/I] went away from being a dominant post presence to drifting more on the perimeter and settling for mid-range jumpers and shots outside the paint. Charles' FG% plummeted to the worse numbers of her career - 38.9 percent from the floor, 18.6 percent from three. But here was no other consistent option in NY's frontcourt. [*][I]Kia Nurse[/I] improved from three (35.3 percent, nearly 2 made threes per game) and in her ability to score from the charity stripe (8th in the WNBA in made FTs per game, at 87.2 percent). But her overall shooting needs to improve (39.3 percent for 2019, 39.7 percent for her career). [/LIST] While defense is not Sabrina Ionescu's biggest strength, her scoring, shooting, and playmaking abilities are. She brings her ability to facilitate the offense, while being a primary or secondary scorer as needed. She adds a dimension on offense that is sorely needed. And let us not forget the ability of NY to market Ionescu (the most visible player in WCBB this year), with the return to NYC (and playing in Brooklyn). New York would benefit by moving Tina Charles back to the five, but allowing her to occasionally roam to diversify the offense. Find a free agent PF (or someone can play PF who is 6-3/6-4) who can be more of an outside presence. Then put Nurse and Durr as perimeter guards, with Ionescu at the point. Someone who fits NY needs and is an unrestricted free agent this year? DeWanna Bonner. How did I do, [USER=26]@EricLA[/USER] and [USER=1511]@ucbart[/USER] ? I kept it under 750 words! [/QUOTE]

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