WNBA -- 2023 Season

[UConnCat]

Training camps starting soon and roster news has already begun

 

[Dillon77]

Training camps starting soon and roster news has already begun

Whoa...
That decision seemed almost pre-determined.
The good news for Engstler is it could give her time to get to another camp.

 

[UConnCat]

Fever have waived their top picks from the 2020 (#3), 2021 (#4) and 2022 (#4) drafts.

 

[BRS24]

Whoa...
That decision seemed almost pre-determined.
The good news for Engstler is it could give her time to get to another camp.

Reports on social media state that she's been dealing with a back injury while playing overseas, so it will be interesting to see if she can make a W roster this season.

 

[cancontent]

Need to find the tweet, but I recall that Balogun was released by the Aces as well. She was a long shot to make the squad considering the roster. Hopefully she'll find opportunities overseas.

 

[Geew1992]

Need to find the tweet, but I recall that Balogun was released by the Aces as well. She was a long shot to make the squad considering the roster. Hopefully she'll find opportunities overseas.

Per the WNBA transactions, she has

 

[Geew1992]

Speaking of theAces, are they under investigation?

 

[darrell]

Fever have waived their top picks from the 2020 (#3), 2021 (#4) and 2022 (#4) drafts.

Chicago lost both Diamond Deshields (#3) and Gabby Williams (#4) from 2018, Katie Lou Samuelson (#4) from 2019, waived their 2021 #8 pick Shyla Heal and traded their first round picks for the next three drafts for Marina Mabrey. At least Indiana has a solid young core.

 

[GCKSFN4L]

Need to find the tweet, but I recall that Balogun was released by the Aces as well. She was a long shot to make the squad considering the roster. Hopefully she'll find opportunities overseas.

She was waived the same day she showed up to camp. So it seems likely was deemed not fit to play, perhaps nursing a injury.

 

[cancontent]

Speaking of theAces, are they under investigation?

Still in progress last I heard per the WNBA commissioner.

 

[cancontent]

Chicago lost both Diamond Deshields (#3) and Gabby Williams (#4) from 2018, Katie Lou Samuelson (#4) from 2019, waived their 2021 #8 pick Shyla Heal and traded their first round picks for the next three drafts for Marina Mabrey. At least Indiana has a solid young core.

They had a solid core last year too with who they drafted (Henderson, Egbo, Hill and Engstler). I get it's a numbers game but man, wouldn't it be best to see how she fared against this incoming draft class? Cripes, she's a great rebounder. Seeing her battle against Saxton would be fun to watch.

 

[darrell]

They had a solid core last year too with who they drafted (Henderson, Egbo, Hill and Engstler). I get it's a numbers game but man, wouldn't it be best to see how she fared against this incoming draft class? Cripes, she's a great rebounder. Seeing her battle against Saxton would be fun to watch.

Just read that she was waived because of an ongoing injury.

 

[cancontent]

Just read that she was waived because of an ongoing injury.

Fair, but I've also heard she's been on site training for the last few months. If she's able to train, why not give her a week to prove whether she's healthy enough? Something doesn't make sense to me but it's a gut feeling on my part.

 

[Dillon77]

Fair, but I've also heard she's been on site training for the last few months. If she's able to train, why not give her a week to prove whether she's healthy enough? Something doesn't make sense to me but it's a gut feeling on my part.

If that's the case, I'm with you. It's not as if she was a total wash in her rookie year: played 18 mpg, averaged 5.2 ppg and rpg, which is pretty much the same scoring rate as Destanni Henderson and 1.4 ppg more than Lexie Hull.
Give her a week to 10 days to see how she matches up with last year's team and this year's rookies.

If she's feeling ok from that back injury, look for her to pop up somewhere that likes tough, defensive play. For some reason, I could see James Wade asking her to drive north and slightly west to Chicago.

 

[12au]

If Engstler is injured does she still take up a roster spot? That can't be the whole reason they cut her. Linn Dunn is 75... and it shows

 

[GCKSFN4L]

If Engstler is injured does she still take up a roster spot? That can't be the whole reason they cut her. Linn Dunn is 75... and it shows

No her contract is not guaranteed. Unfortunately the W doesn't really allow much room for retaining non-franchise players who are injured with it's strict cap space, especially one with an early first round salary. I get why the waived her but it still stinks. This is why the league at the very minimum needs to start expanding rosters .

 

[Dillon77]

No her contract is not guaranteed. Unfortunately the W doesn't really allow much room for retaining non-franchise players who are injured with it's strict cap space, especially one with an early first round salary. I get why the waived her but it still stinks. This is why the league at the very minimum needs to start expanding rosters .

Good post and I'm so with you. I've really got to wonder just how long league management will put off some degree of expanding rosters or adding another team or two. Given the increased attention on WBB, one would think you've got to invest some resources to grow the sport -- it's necessary. Not to mention, they're practically cannabilizing their product.

 

[Rooster C.]

Engstler needs to stay clear of those F-Teams!

 

[jdote33]

If I was Phoenix I'd look to sign her and Chennedy Carter. Both young and talented and can play multiple positions on a team that is a bit older

 

[Geew1992]

If I was Phoenix I'd look to sign her and Chennedy Carter. Both young and talented and can play multiple positions on a team that is a bit older

I think the issue with Carter is her attitude, not her play

 

[Iluvacc2]

I still can’t believe that Lauren Cox never panned out in the league. I thought was pro ready on both ends coming out of college

 

[TRest]

I think the issue with Carter is her attitude, not her play

She cannot shoot threes, like at all. A major drawback in today's game.

 

[jdote33]

I still can’t believe that Lauren Cox never panned out in the league. I thought was pro ready on both ends coming out of college

I think about this daily. And Elissa Cunane

 

[Dillon77]

Richard Choen of Herhoopstats is back with this training-camp primer, which gives an excellent overview of each team going into camps. It will bring you up to speed when looking at the transactions over at the WNBA site.

2023 WNBA Training Camp Roster Breakdowns

Detailing where every roster stands heading into training camp, from salary cap situations to the number of genuine job opportunities for each team

herhoopstats.substack.com

 

[Dillon77]

I think about this daily. And Elissa Cunane

She's in the Connecticut Sun camp trying to grab a spot at power forward. Here's Richard Cohen's projected depth chart for the Sun at that position. Cox, from what I was able to read, had a pretty good winter overseas.
PF: Alyssa Thomas/Lauren Cox/Mikiah Herbert Harrigan/Caitlin Bickle

As for Cunane, she's not listed on anybody's training camp roster.