WNBA News

[Orangutan]

I think they'll be the top team to watch this year. Them, Aces, Sun and Storm look like early title favorites.

Washington will be formidable IF (big if) EDD is healthy and can stay healthy.

Chicago is in flux and hasn't sealed any of their reported deals (Bradford, Meesseman, Copper resigning) yet. Meanwhile, the latest reporting has Vandersloot and Quigley likely to return.

If they get all of those deals done and figure out a way to get it all under the cap, they will be a contender.

 

[Orangutan]

The thing about all the "superteam" talk is that DeShields wasn't very good last year and Taurasi was mostly bad in the Finals.

I know DT was dealing with injuries and the birth of a new baby but she's not getting any younger. Can she stay healthy in her age 40 season?

 

[Dillon77]

The thing about all the "superteam" talk is that DeShields wasn't very good last year and Taurasi was mostly bad in the Finals.

I know DT was dealing with injuries and the birth of a new baby but she's not getting any younger. Can she stay healthy in her age 40 season?

My thought on that is you've got a lot of scorers pencilled in the starting line-up: BG, DT, Tina C, Diamond and Skylar. Until Bri Turner checks in, there are no plan B's. Yes, I know they're all professionals and many of them have played on the U.S.A. Team together, but there's a difference between an Olympic/World Cup tourney and a regular season. And a head coach who is new to HCing in the professional ranks.

I'm movin' to Missouri on this one: show me.

 

[UConnCat]

The thing about all the "superteam" talk is that DeShields wasn't very good last year and Taurasi was mostly bad in the Finals.

I know DT was dealing with injuries and the birth of a new baby but she's not getting any younger. Can she stay healthy in her age 40 season?

Taurasi missed 5 weeks of the season with a fractured sternum and played the Finals with a sprained ankle and fractured bone in her foot. Tough season for her. At 40 she can not carry a team but she shouldn't have to with the team Phoenix has put together.

 

[UConnCat]

My thought on that is you've got a lot of scorers pencilled in the starting line-up: BG, DT, Tina C, Diamond and Skylar. Until Bri Turner checks in, there are no plan B's. Yes, I know they're all professionals and many of them have played on the U.S.A. Team together, but there's a difference between an Olympic/World Cup tourney and a regular season. And a head coach who is new to HCing in the professional ranks.

I'm movin' to Missouri on this one: show me.

Hmmm. "Show me" will be true of a lot of teams in the league. Phoenix was not going to win a championship without changes to their roster. They decided to make those changes and go for it. I'm not sure why that seems to be a problem for some. What am I missing?

Diana doesn't have to score if it's not necessary for her to score. That's been true of her since her college days and more so at this stage of her career. She doesn't care about scoring; she cares about winning.

The playoffs last year showed that Phoenix could not get consistent scoring from the PF position. Neither Turner nor Vaughn could hit a wide open jump shot 10 feet from the basket. Teams are not going to win a WNBA championship with little offense from the PF position. That's just a fact. Tina and Griner have shared the court together playing for USA Basketball and did quite well. It'll be up to the new Phoenix coach to make sure they run an offense that allows them to play off each other.

DD is a big question mark.

 

[DEpup]

Thought DT was a guard

Well she plays the 3 in Phoenix.

 

[shiverz45]

Lot of head scratching on this. No idea what Catchings is thinking. More picks for the perpetual rebuild I guess.

I think they are looking ahead to the 23 and 24 draft that should be loaded.

 

[azfan]

The Mercury have gone all in to put a super team around D for her final year. If the new coach can mesh these pieces together it could truly be one of the strongest teams the W's had.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Chennedy Carter traded to LA for Erica Wheeler. That could be interesting.

 

[baggerbob]

Chennedy Carter traded to LA for Erica Wheeler. That could be interesting.

LA could have a good team if Nneka, and Chiney are healthy. There is talent there now which they didn't have last year.
Looks like the West again has the strongest teams.

 

[dtbtbtb]

Chennedy Carter traded to LA for Erica Wheeler. That could be interesting.

Atlanta is in full tanking mode...

 

[baggerbob]

Atlanta is in full tanking mode...

Looks like they are trying to beat out Indiana for worst run organization.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Looks like they are trying to beat out Indiana for worst run organization.

But they've been patting themselves on the back so hard for removing the former owner. Maybe she wasn't actually the problem. Still a gigantic mess.

 

[Bigboote]

Chennedy Carter traded to LA for Erica Wheeler. That could be interesting.

Good for her, she belongs in Hollywood.

 

[Orangutan]

But they've been patting themselves on the back so hard for removing the former owner. Maybe she wasn't actually the problem. Still a gigantic mess.

Weird comment. The issues with previous ownership had nothing to with basketball acumen or lack thereof and everything to do with Kelly Loeffler's politics.

The new ownership/GM appears to be trying to make a clean break and clean up the locker room issues that Atlanta had last year. Remember that Carter got suspended last year after trying to fight Courtney Williams in the locker room because Williams called her out on her bad attitude. How Chennedy Carter earned a suspension from the Atlanta Dream - The Next

"Most teams would not suspend a player if this was an isolated incident, and sources tell The Next it is not the first time Carter has snapped at her teammates or made noises about fighting a teammate, which extends back to last season when she squared up with a player during a practice.

Several sources familiar with the team said that she does not make the same effort as other leaders to encourage her teammates. Though it is not uncommon for players to disagree and hold each other accountable, Carter has a reputation for taking it further than her teammates."

They also let Crystal Bradford and Courtney Williams go, who were both involved in the fight video that went viral.

I actually hope the Sparks do sign Cambage as people are speculating. The combination of Liz and Chennedy seems like the beginnings of a beautiful trainwreck.

 

[Iluvacc2]

But they've been patting themselves on the back so hard for removing the former owner. Maybe she wasn't actually the problem. Still a gigantic mess.

Eh, that former owner being a problem and the team's current state are not mutually exclusive

 

[Iluvacc2]

Hmmm. "Show me" will be true of a lot of teams in the league. Phoenix was not going to win a championship without changes to their roster. They decided to make those changes and go for it. I'm not sure why that seems to be a problem for some. What am I missing?

Diana doesn't have to score if it's not necessary for her to score. That's been true of her since her college days and more so at this stage of her career. She doesn't care about scoring; she cares about winning.

The playoffs last year showed that Phoenix could not get consistent scoring from the PF position. Neither Turner nor Vaughn could hit a wide open jump shot 10 feet from the basket. Teams are not going to win a WNBA championship with little offense from the PF position. That's just a fact. Tina and Griner have shared the court together playing for USA Basketball and did quite well. It'll be up to the new Phoenix coach to make sure they run an offense that allows them to play off each other.

DD is a big question mark.

Swapping out Vaughn for Tina Charles is an upgrade anyway you look at it. The W's compact season can be physically taxing, the presence of Charles will lighten the load for Griner and Turner neither one of whom have ever struck me as being selfish players.

DD is definitely the biggest question mark for the team. I know she's been dealing with some injuries the past couple years and that's not conducive for consistency so perhaps a scenery change is just what the doctor ordered.

 

[nwhoopfan]

RE: Atlanta, last year's chaos was all on the new management's watch. Went thru a whole season without a GM, had two different lame duck head coaches, the fight among players on the team, the fight with players and the general public. They may be trying to clean house now, but they can't absolve themselves of having been in charge while all of this was going on. Not a good track record so far. Oh yeah, that fight w/ the public? Kinda looks like they tried to bury that when it happened, but then when it got out on social media they were forced to deal with it. Like I said, not a good track record.

 

[eebmg]

Good for her, she belongs in Hollywood.

Well, there goes KLS having a sniff of the ball. Carter and Cambage.

 

[garddog]

Looks like they are trying to beat out Indiana for worst run organization.

They have a ways to go to get into that conversation. Got to draft high then give them away for nothing or just straight cut them to join.

 

[Dillon77]

Well, the "tanking" comment does make me note that Atlanta will have two first-round draft choices in 2023 when Aliyah Boston, Haley Jones and others are available to the league. So, there might be some method to the madness.

A lot of this depens, of course, on how LA does. Well, they certainly have a lot of posts. Now, will Chennedy pass them the rock? Will KLS get a chance to give them the perimeter shooting they need?
Stay tuned.

 

[baggerbob]

Well, there goes KLS having a sniff of the ball. Carter and Cambage.

With Nneka, Kristi Toliver, and Sykes, don't know why they would sign Cambage. Those 3 will be the leaders and would think unless they are satisfied, neither of the two would be on the team after training camp.

 

[eyeroll]

Given the strength of the coming drafts, I wouldn't doubt some teams are looking at Phoenix, Seattle, Chicago, Connecticut, etc. and realize they don't have a chance this year, so set up for the future. Makes sense.

 

[CBus13]

Well, the "tanking" comment does make me note that Atlanta will have two first-round draft choices in 2023 when Aliyah Boston, Haley Jones and others are available to the league. So, there might be some method to the madness.

A lot of this depens, of course, on how LA does. Well, they certainly have a lot of posts. Now, will Chennedy pass them the rock? Will KLS get a chance to give them the perimeter shooting they need?
Stay tuned.

I'm pretty sure neither pick is a lottery pick in either draft. No. 15 for next years draft for sure. The 2023 pick is "most likely" not a lottery pick.

 

[bballnut90]

I'm pretty sure neither pick is a lottery pick in either draft. No. 15 for next years draft for sure. The 2023 pick is "most likely" not a lottery pick.

Hard to say about LA not being a lotto team. The only surefire lottery teams are Atlanta/Indy. After that you have the following likely playoff locks:

Connecticut
Seattle
Phoenix
Chicago
Las Vegas

Leaving 3 spots for:

Dallas-7th a year ago, likely has a similar roster this year with younger players being a year older. Stars are Ogunbowale, Sabally and Mabrey. I'd expect 1 of Kuier, Dungee, Alarie or Collier to make strides this year.

Sparks-lots of talent but 2 players with problematic histories in Carter/Cambage. Nneka is back but productivity has declined the last couple of years. Chiney's is back but her heart hasn't seemed fully in basketball for a long time. Toliver is coming off her worst season of the past decade. Talent wise they're unquestionably a top 8 team, whether than pans out on the court is a different story.

Minnesota-they're without N. Collier but substitute in Angel. This team was 22-10 a year ago and coached by Reeve who has coached Minnesota to 11 straight playoffs. I don't see them missing it this year.

New York-led by Laney, Howard and Ionescu. Should be a pretty similar looking roster. I think they're a borderline playoff team again.

Washington-If EDD stays healthy, Washington should be a playoff team with her, Cloud, Hines-Allen, and Atkins all back. They also have the top pick, so adding in a player like Nalyssa Smith could be a boost in year 1 too.


Out of those teams, I'd rank them as:
1. Minnesota
2. Washington
3. Sparks
4. Dallas
5. New York

Meaning Sparks are in the 8th slot overall going into this year. Very much a borderline playoff squad IMO. Obviously we'll see what happens as the year unfolds and predictions could be very inaccurate, but if they don't make the playoffs, they could effectively have traded away a pick that lands them one of Aliyah Boston, Paige Bueckers, or Haley Jones.