WNBA -- 2023 Season

[Notyetready]

I really want to see Engstler find a home. Maybe Phoenix can make room for her and still keep Evina W.

 

[baggerbob]

They were. For awhile, the front office and coaching staff spoke highly of Kone and now this....

They should have kept Kone and traded Willoughby, who will never be anything but a 10th or 11th player on a team.
When you have a stacked roster you need to keep young players with potential at the end of the bench.
You don't keep a player who is 24 over one who is 20.

 

[BRS24]

The Fever have waived Taylor Mikesell.

 

[Dillon77]

Along with Lou's injury, this could explain how Joens made the Wings.

 

[Dillon77]

The trend of keeping veterans over younger players continues. I'm surprised with this one.

Outside of Shakira Austin (1 year), the Mystics have one "rookie": Li Meng, who is vet from China.
Washington is only carrying 11 players, so they must be "up against it," from a salary standpoint. Still, I'm surprised they kept Hawkins, who is a good 10 years older than Engstler.

It's pretty darn late in the process, so who knows if there are any slots left in the league...like you, I'm surprised. And, frankly, a bit disappointed.

 

[Bigboote]

Damn, I was really rooting for Engstler. Still hoping she'll stick somewhere.

 

[BRS24]

Update on roster sizes:
CHI - 16 (still ... unless they are working on trades ???)
IND, MIN - 14
ATL, SEA - 13
DAL, LA, NY, PHX - 12
CT - 11 (12 with trade)
LV, WAS - 11

 

[VA Huskie]

They should have kept Kone and traded Willoughby, who will never be anything but a 10th or 11th player on a team.
When you have a stacked roster you need to keep young players with potential at the end of the bench.
You don't keep a player who is 24 over one who is 20.

I thought Willoughby looked like she had potential coming out of college and in her 2nd year. Then injuries hit. Has she never fully gotten her game going again?

 

[Tangential]

Update on roster sizes:
CHI - 16 (still ... unless they are working on trades ???)
IND, MIN - 14
ATL, SEA - 13
DAL, LA, NY, PHX - 12
CT - 11 (12 with trade)
LV, WAS - 11

 

[Tangential]

Update on roster sizes:
CHI - 16 (still ... unless they are working on trades ???)
IND, MIN - 14
ATL, SEA - 13
DAL, LA, NY, PHX - 12
CT - 11 (12 with trade)
LV, WAS - 11

Maybe opens the door for Clouden to reunite with Miller??? He really liked her pre-draft last year.

Actually, they need another frontcourt player -- Engstler???

 

[Dillon77]

Maybe opens the door for Clouden to reunite with Miller??? He really liked her pre-draft last year.

Actually, they need another frontcourt player -- Engstler???

Right now, Miller is carrying three point guards: Thomas, Canada and Clarendon. Seems like one too many, particularly since none of them stands out as a mid-to-long range shooter. With KLS out, a wing/big guard could certainly help. Maybe drop one PG and go for a scoring guard and/or wing? If not, he's got a team that will just be pounding it down low (sound familiar?).

 

[Tangential]

Update on roster sizes:
CHI - 16 (still ... unless they are working on trades ???)
IND, MIN - 14
ATL, SEA - 13
DAL, LA, NY, PHX - 12
CT - 11 (12 with trade)
LV, WAS - 11

 

[Tangential]

Right now, Miller is carrying three point guards: Thomas, Canada and Clarendon. Seems like one too many, particularly since none of them stands out as a mid-to-long range shooter. With KLS out, a wing/big guard could certainly help. Maybe drop one PG and go for a scoring guard and/or wing? If not, he's got a team that will just be pounding it down low (sound familiar?).

It worked (albeit with tremendous frontcourt talent and versatility). Looks like they will be relying on Lexie Brown, Stevens, Hamby & Cooke from long range as of now.

 

[baggerbob]

I thought Willoughby looked like she had potential coming out of college and in her 2nd year. Then injuries hit. Has she never fully gotten her game going again?

15 pts a game in 30 minutes for a team in Australia that finished 6-14 is not a good off season. Many of the losses were blowouts.
Paying her 79,000 rather then 63,000 for the rookie who is 5 years younger is a waste of money.

 

[Dillon77]

It worked (albeit with tremendous frontcourt talent and versatility). Looks like they will be relying on Lexie Brown, Stevens, Hamby & Cooke from long range as of now.

Thanks for noting that.

Still think the three PG's is (urge) overkill. Maybe they're scouring the waiver wires. Maybe not and they'll go with what you suggested and whenever KLS comes back (this year? next year?)

 

[Dillon77]

Here's a pre-season write-up on the NY Liberty from Her Hoop Stats.
Interestingly, the writer has the same question I did: why no true second point guard on the roster? (The Liberty have 11 last I checked. Can they not fit a 12th?). Vandersloot is the starter and now off-guard Ionescu can slide over to spell 'sloot from time to time. And the ball can also go through Stewie as a point forrward and Johannes (point wing?). However, for depth purposes, a 2nd pg could've smoothed this roster.

Season Preview: The New York Liberty

The new-look Liberty enter 2023 as one of the favorites to win the WNBA title.

herhoopstats.substack.com

 

[Tangential]

Speaking of Engstler, there's going to have to be a somewhat surprising cut on the Mystics for EE to make the roster. Jazmine Jones, another Louisville product? Li Ming, from China? Or is Myisha Hines-Allen not quite ready to be game-ready?

The other team I'd be looking at is Minnesota. They still have 4 rookies on the 15-person roster: Diamond Miller, Dorkha Juhasz, Brea Beal and Taylor Soule.

Natalie Achonwa is on maternity leave (and I don't think that counts against rosters any more...right?), so that would knock it down to 14. Two people have to go. Will one be a rookie? (My guess, Soule or Beal). Or will a vet also be included? Reeves, like many coaches, has her favorites, but I'm guessing Danta and Milic are much the same player as Juhasz. And what about Carleton or Banham? Stay tuned.

Lynx still need to make several roster decisions before Friday's opener

There are 14 players on the roster, but the Lynx have to cut down to at least 12 by Thursday night, or maybe as few as 11.

www.startribune.com

Clarification on the maternity leave conditional roster exemption

 

[Dillon77]

Lynx still need to make several roster decisions before Friday's opener

There are 14 players on the roster, but the Lynx have to cut down to at least 12 by Thursday night, or maybe as few as 11.

www.startribune.com

Clarification on the maternity leave conditional roster exemption

So this looks like the key for the roster decision:

"The league this year allows a team to sign a player to a minimum contract to replace a player on maternity leave. Who that player replacing Achonwa on the Lynx will be is undecided. It could be a veteran willing to accept such a contract. Or it could be third-round draft pick Taylor Soule."

Don't know where they stand in regards to overall salary cap, but Soule certainly looks like she could be a consideration.

 

[Geew1992]

 

[Geew1992]

 

[Geew1992]

 

[ochoopsfan]

Lynx still need to make several roster decisions before Friday's opener

There are 14 players on the roster, but the Lynx have to cut down to at least 12 by Thursday night, or maybe as few as 11.

www.startribune.com

Clarification on the maternity leave conditional roster exemption

"The league this year allows a team to sign a player to a minimum contract to replace a player on maternity leave."

I hope this is the case for one of my favorite players, Re:Sparks

 

[Reypl21]

Love seeing Lauren Cox make a roster. One of my favorite college players.

 

[Dillon77]

One rookie (Leigha Brown, who they acquired via trade with Atlanta) and one player with a year experience (Olivia Nelson-Ododa).
At least, there's some incursion of youth.