WNBA - Wings Trade Zahui B to Liberty

[Orangutan]

Trader Bill is at it again with another buy-low opportunity.

Dallas needed to cut down to 12 with the obvious cut being one of the young posts (Plaisance, Hamblin, or Zahui).

 

[rt bb fan]

Zahui B was the 2nd player picked in last years draft. They gave up on her after only a year. Surprising, they see more talent in the Plaisance and Hamblin who were later draft picks.

 

[Swishball]

Yeah it's really impatient of Dallas in my opinion, she's too talented to give up on so easily.

However I did see her last season and playing in a zone in college really set her back development-wise. She just had no idea how to defend the position. She struggled defending one-on-one and reading what was in front of her (figuring out when to help, when to ignore the 'fake actions' of the opposition offense to draw her out of position etc.)

So I'm not surprised even as a rookie Hamblin is just way ahead of her defensively and may be more ready to contribute now but the all around upside of Zahui b is just too much too give up on so soon. Maybe Laimbeer's coaching can speed up the process.

 

[JordyG]

What a pick up for the Liberty. Their front court with Bulgak, our Charles, our Kiah, not to mention our Cash, and Zahui will be formidable. Add Schimmel with Prince and they may make some noise this year. 3 days to go. Start the season.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Can't be looking good for Kiah Stokes.

 

[UConnCat]

Can't be looking good for Kiah Stokes.

Please explain how or why things can't be looking good for Kiah Stokes? Didn't she make the All Rookie team and finish 2nd (and 5 votes) behind Loyd for WNBA ROY? Are you saying Zahui B is going to replace Stokes?

 

[Orangutan]

What a pick up for the Liberty. Their front court with Bulgak, our Charles, our Kiah, not to mention our Cash, and Zahui will be formidable. Add Schimmel with Prince and they may make some noise this year. 3 days to go. Start the season.

Prince is injured - which may be part of the reason they took a chance on Shoni

 

[UConnCat]

What a pick up for the Liberty. Their front court with Bulgak, our Charles, our Kiah, not to mention our Cash, and Zahui will be formidable. Add Schimmel with Prince and they may make some noise this year. 3 days to go. Start the season.

Prince tore her ACL and Schimmel is out of shape. Perimeter scoring will be a problem again for the Liberty.

 

[mkwstar23]

Can't be looking good for Kiah Stokes.

If you follow Trader Bill he loves defense and rebounding above all else...Kiah has nothing to worry about i think...i think this is a huge move for the Liberty...much deeper team now...this is going to be a great season

 

[Dillon77]

Yeah it's really impatient of Dallas in my opinion, she's too talented to give up on so easily.

However I did see her last season and playing in a zone in college really set her back development-wise. She just had no idea how to defend the position. She struggled defending one-on-one and reading what was in front of her (figuring out when to help, when to ignore the 'fake actions' of the opposition offense to draw her out of position etc.)

So I'm not surprised even as a rookie Hamblin is just way ahead of her defensively and may be more ready to contribute now but the all around upside of Zahui b is just too much too give up on so soon. Maybe Laimbeer's coaching can speed up the process.

The Liberty also have Herb Williams as assistant coach, so you've got plenty of "down low" vets to coach her up in these and other areas.

Agree with some others here (Orangutan, UConnCat)...still think the ??? on these Liberty teams is outside shooting/scoring. Never been Bill's forte as a coach....

 

[pinotbear]

The Liberty also have Herb Williams as assistant coach, so you've got plenty of "down low" vets to coach her up in these and other areas.

Agree with some others here (Orangutan, UConnCat)...still think the ??? on these Liberty teams is outside shooting/scoring. Never been Bill's forte as a coach....

Makes me wonder if there isn't another "shoe" to drop - perhaps Trader Bill ain't done tradin'....

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Amanda Z B was one of those players that IMO could have played an extra year in college to get better.

She came out end of her sophomore year.

 

[UcMiami]

I think this also has to do with the continued good play from Paris - it really isn't that far off the Sun trading away Williams because NY is thinking their pick is going to be in the 8-12 range and it is not inconceivable that Dallas 2nd rounder could be in the 14-16 range.

Edit - on that first statement - both the Sun and the Wings were drafting a center with a player who had finally had a decent pro year with no guarantee of continued improvement. After a second year the need for the young center they had drafted was less pressing.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Can't be looking good for Kiah Stokes.

Hmmglph??

 

[bschwartz]

Wonder what happened to Rebecca Allen. As for Kiah, there are 5 current players taller than 6ft and also listed as a center (though Tina really isn't a true center). Kiah is going to be in a minutes fight. If all that Korean bulgogi has improved her offensive game, she'll be a minutes leader. If not, it will be up for grabs.

She also, like everyone else, has to stay healthy. She has not played in the preseason due to concussion. I am hopeful has a great year. This is not the team I fell for last season so we'll see. My hopes haven't been this high since Obama was in college.

 

[j66kicker]

And whoever is running the WNBA twitter account doesn't know Brazil from Sweden...
WNBA@WNBA


.@nyliberty acquire Brazilian Center Amanda Zahui B. from @DWingsHoops . More: ow.ly/oM1K3007fA1 pic.twitter.com/7VXtIq9Cv

(Later edited to not include any nationality)

 

[Striper69]

Kiah doesn't have a thing to worry about. She will continue to improve this year. Getting Zahui B. only helps the Liberty.

 

[DaddyChoc]

What a pick up for the Liberty. Their front court with Bulgak, our Charles, our Kiah, not to mention our Cash, and Zahui will be formidable. Add Schimmel with Prince and they may make some noise this year. 3 days to go. Start the season.

updated that for you

 

[HardHatGuy#2]

Zahui B was a HUGE stretch at #2 in the draft. IMO this was Dallas getting some value for a project that they don't have time to work on; they have too many needs to invest any more time in her.

MAYBE a good move for the Liberty.

 

[Dillon77]

Zahui B was a HUGE stretch at #2 in the draft. IMO this was Dallas getting some value for a project that they don't have time to work on; they have too many needs to invest any more time in her.

MAYBE a good move for the Liberty.

See your points for both teams. Bill does like posts and has Herb Williams and himself to coach.
However, I think he gave up a #1 in 2017 so I don't think he bought low on this one. (At first I thought this was a #2 pick).
So with you on the "maybe...."

 

[Orangutan]

See your points for both teams. Bill does like posts and has Herb Williams and himself to coach.
However, I think he gave up a #1 in 2017 so I don't think he bought low on this one. (At first I thought this was a #2 pick).
So with you on the "maybe...."

New York is expecting that 1st to be a low 1st. Doubtful that there will be a better talent than Zahui available at 9 or 10.

 

[JordyG]

updated that for you

Thanks. I'll send an attachment of my ex. Don't scrimp.

 

[Carnac]

NY Liberty head coach Bill Laimbeer (or someone else in the Liberty organization) saw something in Amanda Zauhi B that the rest of us didn't. If the eye test was used as criteria for the trade, it had to be latent or perceived potential versus production. Zahui B averaged 3.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 31 games as a rookie last season. Someone saw something in Zauhi B's game that they think they can bring out or refine. A first round draft pick is a high price to pay for any player, especially one that did not live up the they hype that accompanied her during and after the draft.

Liberty coaches and staff obliviously know something we don't. Can we assume that there are no post players coming out in next year's draft that the Liberty are interested in, or pining for?, and thus see the 6'5" Zauhi B has a reclamation project? Laimbeer does have an eye for talent. I'm not going to second guess him. We'll see in about 30-45 days (12-15 games) if that trade looks like it's going to bare any fruit.

I'll be very interested to see the maturation of Kiah Stokes. After a season the Korean leagues, she can't be the same player she was at the end of the season last year. After a year of professional basketball behind her, Kiah has got to come into this season with a different mindset and resolve. She's not a rookie anymore. She's not just trying to fit in, or make the team. The staff and her teammates will be expecting more from her this year than last.

 

[UcMiami]

Carnac - if you look at some starting centers around the league, Zauhi B.'s stats are not that different as a rookie. Paris and Bone are examples, and just this year Williams was traded for the #4 pick in this years draft after putting up almost identical numbers - and the NY draft pick is unlikely to be higher than #8 next year (and in a year where I suspect the general consensus is that the draft with be weaker)

 

[DaddyChoc]

I'll be very interested to see the maturation of Kiah Stokes. After a season the Korean leagues, she can't be the same player she was at the end of the season last year. After a year of professional basketball behind her, Kiah has got to come into this season with a different mindset and resolve. She's not a rookie anymore. She's not just trying to fit in, or make the team. The staff and her teammates will be expecting more from her this year than last.

sound like many BY posters and the UConn coaching staff... We'll see!