WNBA 2024 pre-season

[bballnut90]

Early predictions while major free agency movement is almost complete:

1. Vegas, they have everyone back, probably will pick up with Parker or EDD too. Question is will Gray be ready to go in May?

2. New York, another squad with their strong starting 5 back. They have the horses to beat Vegas, question is will they get it done though?

3. Connecticut, they lose Hiedeman but bring in Jefferson and have everyone else back including Brionna Jones who missed most of last year. Bonner/Thomas had great 2023 seasons with no signs of slowing down.

4. Dallas, they have a very good starting 5 coming back but their over-reliance on Arike prevents them from being a true title contender IMO. They need to reign in her shot selection (not counting on that happening) or build the team around Sabally.

5. Seattle, they've done better than anyone in free agency, pulling in SDS/Nneka. It's a loaded and experienced lineup that's in "win now" mode.

6. Minnesota, they have a solid roster coming back led by Napheesa Collier and Diamond Miller. If Miller makes the jump to stardom, Minnesota could be in the semis this year.

7. Indiana, assuming Clark comes out, they'll have the best young core in the league with her/Boston/Smith. Mitchell/Samuelson will be great wings for Clark to stretch the floor and create space for Boston inside and Smith in the high post. I think they're going to be solid early but are a year or 2 away from making a deep run.

8. Phoenix, as it stands now, I think they just eek into the playoffs over Atlanta due to the addition of Natasha Cloud/Rebecca Allen who will be major upgrades defensively. If they land EDD, I think they move to 5th or 6th. This roster isn't young though and I don't think they have the horses to keep up with top squads.

9. Atlanta, I could see them being as high as 5th or 6th due to Tanisha Wright, but this team has a lot of inefficient scorers which I think could be their shortcoming.

10. Washington, I see them dropping big time without Cloud/EDD.

11. Chicago, poor free agency planning will likely hurt them this year.

12. LA, they're fully in rebuild mode

 

[nwhoopfan]

3. Connecticut, they lose Hiedeman but bring in Jefferson and have everyone else back including Brionna Jones who missed most of last year. Bonner/Thomas had great 2023 seasons with no signs of slowing down.

You can't gloss over losing Allen. Streaky shooter, but tremendously disruptive on defense.

 

[bbsamjj]

Well, those are both interesting:

- The DeShields WNBA tour continues with a second (?) stint in Chitown. Will her body hold up? And she's very much a wing -- same position as Ms. Copper.

and

• The Taya Reimer training camp signing brings a bit of a smile. It's been an interesting trip for the ND alumni, who left for Michigan State, and worked her way around various leagues. She's now performing pretty well in Turkey, averaging around 13.00 ppg for Botas.
• Guess who else plays for Botas? One Lindsay Allen, who just signed a contract with the Sky and was a college teammate at Notre Dame with -- you guessed it -- Taya Reimer. You've got to think LA had some recommendations for this signing. If Reimer can stick here, she'll love it because she's from Indiana.

DeShields and Copper were super close from their Chicago days (even after Copper took DeShields' spot in starting lineup). The combo of L. Allen and D. Deshields combined should make up for losing C. Williams to Minnesota.

 

[bballnut90]

You can't gloss over losing Allen. Streaky shooter, but tremendously disruptive on defense.

They also lost Hayes which I omitted. I think the upside of landing Jones mostly offsets the losses, but I think they’re a weaker overall than last year and could see them anywhere 3rd-6th

 

[nwhoopfan]

They also lost Hayes which I omitted. I think the upside of landing Jones mostly offsets the losses, but I think they’re a weaker overall than last year and could see them anywhere 3rd-6th

Yeah Jones bolsters the front court a lot, but losing Hayes/Allen/Hiedeman and replacing them with Mitchell/Jefferson is a down grade in the back court/on the wing.

 

[Reypl21]

In Skylar's three seasons in Phoenix she was 2nd Team All-Wnba in 2020, and 1st team in 2021, 2022. She was the only constant in the 2022 season where Griner was unavailable, DT was injured quite a bit, and there was the Charles saga. As well as Skylar's beef with the coach, and with DT. There was a lot going on that 2022 season, not just with her but with the Mercury. Before the implosion I felt like she found a pretty good fit in Phoenix.

Her and Loyd make for one of the best backcourt duos, rivaled by Vegas only IMO. Nneka and Ezi make a great front court. I think they can be in the top 2-3 teams. The one thing that keeps the W entertaining in the off-season are these super teams forming. Since there's only 12 teams, superstars teaming up that you couldn't imagine. I would like to see EDD in Phoenix.

 

[bbsamjj]

Yeah Jones bolsters the front court a lot, but losing Hayes/Allen/Hiedeman and replacing them with Mitchell/Jefferson is a down grade in the back court/on the wing.

D. Carrington had a very up and down 2023 season, but seems like the environment is ripe for her to have a breakout season--if given the opportunity.

 

[Dillon77]

@bballnut90
"4. Dallas, they have a very good starting 5 coming back but their over-reliance on Arike prevents them from being a true title contender IMO. They need to reign in her shot selection (not counting on that happening) or build the team around Sabally."

I normally don't go out of my way to defend my fellow ND alum's Arike Ogunbowale play (She was a major reason the Irish got to two NC games, winning one), because she does have a thing with the ball )), but wanted to point out three things:

- Yes, Arike is over-relied on, in everything from the obvious (shot selection) to the unexpected (distribution) to one element that should tell you about Dallas roster construction: minutes. She played all 40 games and averaged nearly 38 mpg. She's playing too much, because the coach chooses to keep her in or doesn't feel she has any choice.

- However, Satou is in the same boat. She isn't far behind Arike in any category, from overall usage and FGA attempt % to assists. Satou missed two games and probably would've closed the gap in shot attempts to AO with those two contests.

- Latricia Trammell has made it clear the ball runs through these two and I'd argue that the indecision this team has around points guards is a major issue: Crystal? Veronica Burton? Or the traded Harris? If they had settled/found a strong PG who could distribute the ball, utilizing AO and Satou at the right times, the team would be a lot better off. But that's not the direction they're following.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Interesting. Writer works for Chicago Sun Times

 

[cancontent]

Interesting. Writer works for Chicago Sun Times

Oh the memes that will be on social media today!

 

[cancontent]

More details on the trade.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

This is big. Copper was the last piece of that title team. Phoenix is going to be interesting as always.

 

[cancontent]

This is big. Copper was the last piece of that title team. Phoenix is going to be interesting as always.

I'm surprised at the number of draft picks going back to Chicago though. Four seems like a lot.

 

[Dillon77]

Here's a Sun Times brief on it:

"The trade package, sources told the Sun-Times, includes four draft picks: the No. 3 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, two second-round picks in the 2025 draft, and the Mercury’s first-round pick in 2026. In addition, the Sky will receive forward Michaela Onyenwere and forward Brianna Turner."

Coach Witherspoon likes intense defensive pressure and she now has some very defensive forwards in Elizabeth Williams and Breezy Bri Turner. However, not a lot of points are going to come from those two. Diamond DeShields has a strong chance to get a lot of touches, along with Onyenwere, at the small forward position. Depending on who comes out in April, that could be a big-time draft pick for the Sky.

Lastly, there are now three Golden Domer guaranteed contracts on this roster: Marina Mabrey, Bri Turner and Lindsay Allen, along with Training Camp tryoutee Taya Reimer (she of the ND undergrad and Michigan State grad degrees).

 

[Dillon77]

The Chicago Sun Times winds up and fires at Sky ownership and management:

Sky trading franchise star Kahleah Copper to Phoenix Mercury for players and draft assets

The trade package includes four draft picks: the No. 3 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, two second-round picks in the 2025 draft, and the Merecury’s first-round pick in 2026. In addition the Sky will receive forward Michaela Onyenwere and forward Brianna Turner.

chicago.suntimes.com

 

[bballnut90]

The Chicago Sun Times winds up and fires at Sky ownership and management:

Sky trading franchise star Kahleah Copper to Phoenix Mercury for players and draft assets

The trade package includes four draft picks: the No. 3 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, two second-round picks in the 2025 draft, and the Merecury’s first-round pick in 2026. In addition the Sky will receive forward Michaela Onyenwere and forward Brianna Turner.

chicago.suntimes.com

On the plus side for you, the Sky could have a very mid 2010s ND-centric roster next year with Marina Mabrey, Brianna Turner, Lindsay Allen and Taya Reimer all there.

 

[TheFarmFan]

On the plus side for you, the Sky could have a very mid 2010s ND-centric roster next year with Marina Mabrey, Brianna Turner, Lindsay Allen and Taya Reimer all there.

Now if the Sky could join the ACC, that team might have championship potential. But in the W? Nah.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Wow, Chicago has been blown up and starting from scratch.

I thought Phoenix was team chaos and nobody wanted to go there. They sure have added a lot in the off season.

 

[cancontent]

Wow, Chicago has been blown up and starting from scratch.

I thought Phoenix was team chaos and nobody wanted to go there. They sure have added a lot in the off season.

Re Phoenix, I think they're giving the new ownership the benefit of the doubt.

 

[bbsamjj]

I actually think...this may be better for Chicago in long run.

Wade completely screwed the org when he gave away multiple first round draft picks for Mabrey. That, combined with the team's lack of facilities/support for players, made it nearly impossible to build around Copper. The team went after SDD and Nneka, but failed. At best, they were looking at another #8 seed with few options to push forward. What's clear is that as things currently stand, they could not rebuild their roster through free agency.

So given all of that, I think blowing it up for a rebuild with young talent might be the best course of action:

The #3 pick could be Paige or Brink. Or at worse, Kamila Cardosa or Rickea Jackson. They then they will have another first round pick next year [even though as part of that Mabrey trade Wade also allowed Dallas the rights to swap first-round picks with the Sky in 2025!!!!].

Right now, lineup looking like:

E. Williams/I. Harrison
B. Turner/S. Kone
D. Deshields/M. Onyenwere
M. Mabrey/R. Gardner
L. Allen/D. Evans

+ #3 pick in 2024 draft

TBH, a backcourt of Allen/Mabrey/DeShields, backed up by Gardner, Evans, and Onyenwere, is pretty decent, and you won't get a better defensive frontcourt than Williams and Turner. But it is definitely lacking in scoring punch.

 

[Geew1992]

 

[Dillon77]

On the plus side for you, the Sky could have a very mid 2010s ND-centric roster next year with Marina Mabrey, Brianna Turner, Lindsay Allen and Taya Reimer all there.

Well, one needs to see what's at the end of the Rainbow, right?

Coach Ivey can schedule summer trips to Chicago to see virtually any home game, but especially when, say, Seattle (Skylar and Jewell) are also in town.

 

[Dillon77]

I actually think...this may be better for Chicago in long run.

Wade completely screwed the org when he gave away multiple first round draft picks for Mabrey. That, combined with the team's lack of facilities/support for players, made it nearly impossible to build around Copper. The team went after SDD and Nneka, but failed. At best, they were looking at another #8 seed with few options to push forward. What's clear is that as things currently stand, they could not rebuild their roster through free agency.

So given all of that, I think blowing it up for a rebuild with young talent might be the best course of action:

The #3 pick could be Paige or Brink. Or at worse, Kamila Cardosa or Rickea Jackson. They then they will have another first round pick next year [even though as part of that Mabrey trade Wade also allowed Dallas the rights to swap first-round picks with the Sky in 2025!!!!].

Right now, lineup looking like:

E. Williams/I. Harrison
B. Turner/S. Kone
D. Deshields/M. Onyenwere
M. Mabrey/R. Gardner
L. Allen/D. Evans

+ #3 pick in 2024 draft

TBH, a backcourt of Allen/Mabrey/DeShields, backed up by Gardner, Evans, and Onyenwere, is pretty decent, and you won't get a better defensive frontcourt than Williams and Turner. But it is definitely lacking in scoring punch.

Thanks for the instant roster update and analysis.

I saw somewhere that Morgan Gertsch might've joined Copper on the flight to Phoenix.
In addition, is Robyn Parks still on the squad? She does add some three-pt. prowess, but I'm guessing Turner & Kone will get most of the minutes at the #4.

Lindsey Allen knows how to work with Mabreys on setting up the spot-up jumper and feeding Bri Turner in places she feels comfortable shooting. Bri's best years at ND came while Allen was point guard. Now, Allen just has to avoid injuries, which have been a bugaboo recently.

 

[bbsamjj]

Thanks for the instant roster update and analysis.

I saw somewhere that Morgan Gertsch might've joined Copper on the flight to Phoenix.
In addition, is Robyn Parks still on the squad? She does add some three-pt. prowess, but I'm guessing Turner & Kone will get most of the minutes at the #4.

Lindsey Allen knows how to work with Mabreys on setting up the spot-up jumper and feeding Bri Turner in places she feels comfortable shooting. Bri's best years at ND came while Allen was point guard. Now, Allen just has to avoid injuries, which have been a bugaboo recently.

Love Robyn Parks' game. She is not currently on their roster page.

 

[Dillon77]

A few other personnel announcements from the WNBA on Tuesday, Feb. 6:



- Stephanie Soares signed a Rookie Scale Contract with the Dallas Wings.

- DeWanna Bonner signed a Contract with the Connecticut Sun.

- Elissa Cunane signed a Training Camp Contract with the Washington Mystics.

With Soares joining the Wings, that frontcourt has gotten even taller!!

Bonner resigning with the Sun isn't unexpected and will keep the core group together.

Cunane gets another shot in the W....


.