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Props to Atlanta for making moves, but is anybody curious how Griner and B. Jones are going to fit together? Both play as paint-bound posts more often than not. Griner has actually shown a nice three in the past but you don’t stick 6’9” on the perimeter for extended stretches.

It’s very possible that Jones fills in as an excellent backup off the bench, but it just seems like an odd pairing to me especially if Charles returns. Add to that that Smesko has never really had a dominant big in his system, let alone two. I’m curious to see how it all fits together. Atlanta’s probably not in title contender territory with NY/Vegas/Minnesota returning their cores but the team potential is high for sure.
Brittany Griner has been a good inside-out passer and I thought that could work for Atlanta's three-pt. shooters.
But then signing Jones through a wrench into my reasoning, because she's not really that linch-pin type of center.

Atlanta GM Padover was initially a Trader Bill Laimbeer acolyte (geesh, we can't get out of his way today). And they liked overwhelming teams with posts. Here we go again. ;)
 
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This is a great point.

2026 will be even more insane, with most of the vets being free agents and the new CBA.
Just think, it will the the "inside out" of roster building: how do these free agents fit with my rookie contracts? ;)
 
The Mohegan Tribe paid 10 million dollars to purchase the Orlando Miracle and move the defunct team to Connecticut in 2003. Expansion teams currently cost around $150 Million.

The tribe should consider selling the team outright to one of groups wanting a team. Or, sell the team to the NBA and make a deal with the league to provide a G-League team to the Mohegan Sun.

This option is better because it would benefit the tribe as it would be provided with an alternate team to play in their 10,000 seat arena.
 
So the Sun gave Dijonai away for basically nothing? I guess maybe they could be high on Sheldon. Could also be swapping in a cheaper contract.
 
That's a move that strongly hints at tanking. Carrington was the most improved player last year and a first team all defensive player. She is a player that is still on the way up. She hasn't hit her peak yet. And Dallas will get to see that peak and all they had to do was give up Jacy Sheldon? (Who I like.) What a bargain for dallas.
 
That's a move that strongly hints at tanking. Carrington was the most improved player last year and a first team all defensive player. She is a player that is still on the way up. She hasn't hit her peak yet. And Dallas will get to see that peak and all they had to do was give up Jacy Sheldon? (Who I like.) What a bargain for dallas.
@12au
My suggestion earlier this morning was to ask Curt Miller -- who drafted and coached Carrington while he was at the Sun -- for the #8 draft pick and a player like Sheldon, Siegrist or Senechal. Sun GM got that, but she also gave the #12 pick up that they received from the Mercury, which -- in my view -- brought the value of the trade way down.

I'm not quite as high on what Dallas has done. There are a lot of recognizable individual names coming into Dallas. Can they work together? But which rookie point guard -- if any -- in the draft will run them?

p.s. Sorry, Stagnant: I highly doubt new GM Morgan Tuck and the more senior execs around her are tanking at this point. Maybe not making moves you or others like, but not tanking. ;)
 
I'm fine with the trade by Indiana. I know signing Howard was separate, but looking at all their moves together I think they did great. Smith wasn't happy there, moving her was best for all parties. There may be a lot of players they threw at that 3 position, but none of them really did much to earn minutes until Hull blew up during the second half of the season. By my count that leaves 3 players who did very little. Adding another viable option at that position is a very good move.
 
As a Connecticut Sun follower since they moved to our state watching what has transpired so far in this offseason it’s time for the tribe to ax Morgan Tuck and Jennifer Rizzotti.
 
Id actually like them to go after chennedy Carter to replace JL
Hard pass. 2 franchises already moved on from her despite her talent, and although she was considered to have a career resurgence in Chicago, it doesn't really sound like it was all rosy. Too much trouble, not worth the risk.
 
This isn't a rebuilding year. This is a rebuilding decade. Poor Juju. Poor Lauren Betts. Poor Hannah Hidalgo. Maybe poor Sarah Strong. Lottery picks will be forced to go there. Even though that franchise is frankly no longer operating (maybe they never were) in good faith.
The issue you have is that the Sun currently have an owner. The owner would have to agree to either sell the franchise, or move it.

If the league wants to force a move, they would have to go to court. The tribe can't be seen as negligent, they have just had a run of success in the W.

A franchise owner has rights within the league. It's very difficult to remove one because players and fans unhappy. NY Jets, Cincy Reds, Oakland A's, LA Clippers, KC Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates have peeved fans and players for decades without action taken.
 
A franchise owner has rights within the league. It's very difficult to remove one because players and fans unhappy.
Didn't the Dream players force the former owner out?
 
Just some of the thoughts bouncing around my addled brain this afternoon.

  • Ty Harris and Rebecca Allen must feel like they're pinballs, having changed teams twice in a few days.
  • Did the Sun know they were going to get and then send (Rebecca) Allen for (Lindsay) Allen? The reason I ask is Allen is the ostensible back-up PG for Cloud now, right? So what's Jacy Sheldon going to do? Be the off guard, while Marina Mabey moves to wing?
  • Looking back at that Dallas trade, wonder if Maddy Siegrist would've been the better target to play forward. Who is now?
  • BTW, I'm a homer Domer, but Lindsey Allen played pretty well for the Sky last year and she most certainly gets and plays well with Mabrey, dating back to South Bend days.
  • Oliva Nelson-Ododa, get ready for lots of PT.
  • Rizzotti and Tuck better have Meesemman signed, sealed and almost delivered or this is going to be a long season...OR...is there another trade coming, with Natasha Cloud as the lure?
  • Looking at the draft, might want to consider Morrow or Westbeld at #8 to play power forward.
 
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p.s. Sorry, Stagnant: I highly doubt new GM Morgan Tuck and the more senior execs around her are tanking at this point. Maybe not making moves you or others like, but not tanking. ;)
Tanking for what? They would tank to get the '26 top pick in a rebuild. Since lottery based on 2 years of results, Sun would not have a good chance in lottery anyway.

Salary savings? A star makes $250k and a rookie makes $80k. All teams are basically at the salary cap. Total payroll is currently so low that a savings there doesn't matter.

If Sun was really a financial burden, tribe would just sell it for the nice easy profit.

Appears they are just using loss of their older free agent stars as a chance to get younger all around. Even if Sun have an off year in 2025, they can be more active again in 2026 when new CBA in place, and free agents will sign long term again.
 
Hard pass. 2 franchises already moved on from her despite her talent, and although she was considered to have a career resurgence in Chicago, it doesn't really sound like it was all rosy. Too much trouble, not worth the risk.

Hard pass. 2 franchises already moved on from her despite her talent, and although she was considered to have a career resurgence in Chicago, it doesn't really sound like it was all rosy. Too much trouble, not worth the risk.

3 franchises….
 
3 franchises….
I wasn't sure if Chicago is pushing her out or if it was her choice to look elsewhere.

Yeah, if it's 3 franchises, I honestly don't know why anyone would even give her a look at this point. She's not gonna make a bad team better and she's probably not gonna put a contender over the top, and either way the risk of her blowing up the locker room is too much.
 
I wasn't sure if Chicago is pushing her out or if it was her choice to look elsewhere.

Yeah, if it's 3 franchises, I honestly don't know why anyone would even give her a look at this point. She's not gonna make a bad team better and she's probably not gonna put a contender over the top, and either way the risk of her blowing up the locker room is too much.
True. Unfortunate, but true.
 
Hines-Allen to the wings
Here's the ESPN story on that...

Related thought (again) back to the Carrington trade, in which the Sun sent her to Dallas in return for Jacy Sheldon and the #8 (while giving Dallas the #12).

Dallas has now gotten Nalyssa Smith to play power forward alongside Big T. Hines-Allen is a great utility player, who can slot into the 5 or the 4 if need be. Makes me wonder why Morgan Tuck didn't press harder to get a Maddy Siegrist (instead of or on top of) for Carrington); particularly after sending Allen (forward) to Chicago for Allen (pg). Nothing against Caitlin Bickle, but she's no Spider or Maddy S., for that matter.

If one even has a remotely strong interest in the Sun for this year, have to wonder if one more big trade is on the way (Cloud or Mabrey?) to get some front line bigs and/or wish they get a decent power forward in the draft.
 
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