WNBA Off-Season

[Dillon77]

Also, to shift gears and talk about what I really meant to talk about. The trade activity by Dallas really solidifies the notion that they won’t trade the number one pick. You don’t move around all of these separate pieces if you are going to move the #1 pick. Moving the #1 pick first would have been the priority.

Totally agree with that.

 

[cancontent]

This is a great point.

 

[Dillon77]

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.

 

[Dillon77]

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?

 

[ConnMotors]

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.

 

[Stagnant]

That would be a great profit for the Mohegan Tribe.

 

[12au]

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.

 

[Stagnant]

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.

 

[Dillon77]

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.

 

[nwhoopfan]

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.

 

[Stagnant]

 

[Geew1992]

 

[ConnMotors]

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.

 

[jdote33]

Don't know if I'd call them "losers." Cunningham can help them because of her ability to play two positions and her contract is very inexpensive due to the extension she just signed while at Phoenix. Plus, she can stick the three and adds some serious grit to the lineup. But, as you and Kevin Pelton of ESPNw noted, giving up the #8 pick was a lot. At the end of the day, is Cunningham all that much better than Lexie Hull? Plus, you have just as big a logjam at that small forward position as ever.

Yeah I agree with this. I like Sophie a lot, but I like Lexie Hull too. I wouldn't want to cut into Lexie's playing time too much. But Cunningham can play some backup 3 and backup 4 I guess, which means less time for KLS if she's still on the roster.

Connecticut... Crazy times. I don't know how they remain competitive next year. As a UConn fan I'm excited for ONO. I thought she always played whenever she got her opportunity. So it will be nice to see her get consistent minutes. I like Mabrey. Cloud is a good player.

I'm not sure if Seattle should just go after Johannes and call it a day. Id actually like them to go after chennedy Carter to replace JL. But to me Seattle is very intriguing in terms of being a contender this year.

 

[nwhoopfan]

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.

 

[packwrap]

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.

 

[Dillon77]

Here's an ESPN article on all the action in and around Chicago.

Sky signing free agent guard Nurse, agent says

The Sky are signing free agent Kia Nurse while also acquiring Rebecca Allen in a trade with the Sun, sources confirmed.

www.espn.com

 

[nwhoopfan]

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?

 

[Dillon77]

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.

 

[packwrap]

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.

 

[Geew1992]

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….

 

[nwhoopfan]

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.

 

[Dillon77]

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.

 

[cancontent]

Didn't the Dream players force the former owner out?

Yes, but that situation was mainly for political reasons if I recall correctly. That doesn't happen often though.