[情報] WNBA Free Agency 2023: Five Early Take
WNBA Free Agency 2023: Five Early Takeaways
Brian Martin
February 9, 2023
We’re now a week into the 2023 WNBA free agency, and there’s already been
plenty of fireworks. We have former MVPs on the move, a pair of super teams
formed, and a few under-the-radar moves that could pay big dividends next
season.
Here is a look at the five biggest takeaways from the past seven days.
1. Breanna Stewart is NYC bound
In the two weeks leading into the official opening of WNBA free agency on Feb.
1, Breanna Stewart had WNBA fans breaking their brains trying to decipher her
cryptic tweets full of emojis and find clues as to where she would decide to
play in 2023.
The biggest free agent available this offseason had the entire women’s hoops
community hanging on her every emoji until the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 1.
The magnitude of this move can’t be overstated. This is a two-time champion,
two-time Finals MVP, one-time league MVP, four-time All-WNBA First Team
selection, and reigning scoring champion changing teams in her absolute prime
at 28 years old.
Stewart becomes only the fourth MVP winner to sign with another team as a free
agent, joining Sheryl Swoopes (2008 to Seattle), Yolanda Griffith (2008 to
Seattle), and Candace Parker (2021 to Chicago, 2023 to Las Vegas – more on
that shortly). Swoopes (37) and Griffith (38) were both at the tail end of
their careers when they signed with the Storm. Parker (34) still had plenty
left in the tank when she joined her hometown team and led them to their first
title in 2021.
Three other former MVPs have changed teams via trade: Tina Charles (
Connecticut to New York in 2014), Elena Delle Donne (Chicago to Washington in
2017), and Jonquel Jones (Connecticut to New York in 2023).
That’s right; the Liberty didn’t just add one former MVP this off-season.
They added two, with the 2021 MVP (Jones) joining the 2018 winner (Stewart) to
give the Liberty a devastating frontline. And in case that wasn’t enough,
the day after Stewart announced her decision to join Liberty, so did All-Star
point guard and six-time league assist leader Courtney Vandersloot.
That makes three 2022 All-Stars joining the Liberty in the span of 18 days.
And remember that the Liberty already have All-Star guard Sabrina Ionescu
getting set to begin her fourth WNBA season. With Stewart, Jones, and Ionescu,
the Liberty boasts three of the ten players selected to the 2022 All-WNBA
teams.
2. Candace Parker heads to Sin City
Breanna Stewart wasn’t the only former MVP to shake up the league last week.
While Stewie was dropping emoji-laden tweets, Candace Parker moved more
quietly until announcing on Instagram that she intended to leave her hometown
Chicago Sky to join the Las Vegas Aces this summer for her 16th WNBA season.
Parker joins the defending WNBA champions Aces and gives Las Vegas a pair of
two-time league MVPs on its frontline, as the 2008 and 2013 winner (Parker)
joins the 2020 and 2022 winner (A’ja Wilson). Parker also reunites with
former teammate Chelsea Gray, with whom she won the 2016 Los Angeles Sparks
WNBA title. Gray (2022), Wilson (2020), and Parker (2016) have each won Finals
MVP honors; Wilson (2022) and Parker (2020) have won two of the last three
Defensive Player of the Year honors.
And don’t forget about 2022 All-Star MVP Kelsey Plum and 2022 Most Improved
Player Jackie Young, all playing under the tutelage of 2022 Coach of the Year
Becky Hammon. Similar to the Liberty, the Aces now have three 2022 All-WNBA
selections on its roster – only Vegas’ were all First Team selections in
Wilson, Plum, and Parker.
Also, similar to New York, Las Vegas wasn’t done when adding a former MVP in
free agency. Along with Parker, the franchise was able to add veteran wing
Alysha Clark – a two-time champion and two-time All-Defensive Team selection
– as well as four-time Australian league (WNBL) champion Cayla George to the
roster. Las Vegas also re-signed Sydney Colson and Kiah Stokes from last year
’s championship squad.
The Aces will enter 2023 looking to accomplish something that has yet to be
done in the WNBA for more than two decades: successfully defend the WNBA title
. The last team to do it was the 2001 and 2002 Sparks; can the Aces join them
this fall?
3. Welcome to the WNBA super-team era
The WNBA has seen many dominant teams throughout its history:
The Houston Comets won the first four WNBA titles from 1997-2000 behind the
big three of Cynthia Cooper, Swoopes, and Tina Thompson
The Lisa Leslie-led, Los Angeles Sparks, won back-to-back titles in 2001 and
2002 before falling in the Finals to Detroit
The Detroit Shock won three titles in the span of six seasons with stars like
Cash, Katie Smith, and Deanna Nolan
The Minnesota Lynx won four championships and played in six WNBA Finals in a
seven-year span from 2011-2017 behind the core of Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus
, Lindsay Whalen, Sylvia Fowles, and Rebekkah Brunson
The Comets and Lynx both featured two MVP winners – Cooper and Swoopes in
Houston; Moore and Fowles in Minnesota – but they won those MVPs while
playing for those dynasties. Swoopes was the only one of the four to play for
another team after winning MVP, and as discussed earlier, she did so at the
end of her career.
What we’re seeing now is just different. With the most recent collective
bargaining agreement allowing for additional player movement, the amount of
change is growing yearly.
The Aces and Liberty have assembled rosters that have them considered –
almost universally – as the co-title favorites entering 2023. Of course,
these rosters are currently only on paper, and we’ll have to see how all the
pieces fit together as well as we all think they will.
With that being said, go ahead and circle these dates on your WNBA calendars
now and get your popcorn ready.
Thursday, June 29, 10 ET: New York at Las Vegas
Sunday, Aug. 6, 3 ET: Las Vegas at New York
Thursday, Aug. 17, 10 ET: New York at Las Vegas
Monday, Aug. 28, 7 ET: Las Vegas at New York
4. Storm, Sky, and Sun bolster rosters after losing MVPs
There were five former league MVPs on the free agent market this season:
Breanna Stewart, Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi, Tina Charles, and Nneka
Ogwumike. So far, two of those five have changed teams, with Stewart leaving
Seattle for New York and Parker leaving Chicago for Las Vegas, while the other
three remain unsigned. And, just prior to free agency tipping off, we saw
another former MVP on the move as Jonquel Jones was traded from Connecticut to
New York.
That leaves the Storm, Sky, and Sun with the unenviable task of trying to
replace a former MVP.
In Chicago, the Sky not only lost Parker but also lost their starting
backcourt of Courtney Vandersloot (also to NY) and Allie Quigley (taking the
season off) along with forward/center Azurá Stevens — that’s four of their
top six players in minutes played. The Sky have started to rebuild their
roster through free agency, signing Elizabeth Williams (from Washington) and
Isabelle Harrison (from Dallas) on the frontline and Courtney Williams (from
Connecticut) in the backcourt. The Sky still have 2021 Finals MVP Kahleah
Copper under contract, while 2019 Finals MVP Emma Meesseman remains an
unrestricted free agent.
In Seattle, the Storm re-signed Ezi Magbegor, who finished second in the WNBA
in blocks last season (1.8 per game) and was named to the All-Defensive Second
Team following her third season in Seattle. The Storm brought Sami Whitcomb
back to the Pacific Northwest; the former University of Washington star played
her first four WNBA seasons in Seattle before playing the last two in New
York. Whitcomb ranked 14th in 3-pointers made (59) last season. Seattle also
signed former Phoenix guards Kia Nurse and Yvonne Turner. Nurse missed all of
last season due to a torn ACL but ranked 10th in 3-pointers made (59) in 2021.
In Connecticut, the Sun not only lost Jones but longtime starting point guard
Jasmine Thomas, who was traded to Los Angeles to join former Sun coach Curt
Miller. While Thomas was out last season, Natisha Hiedeman stepped up to fill
the void at the point. The Sun have re-signed Hiedeman, which has been their
lone key move in free agency so far.
5. More moves to keep an eye on
Washington: The Mystics opened free agency by adding the top wing defender on
the open market in Brittney Sykes, who’s led the WNBA in steals the past two
seasons and is a three-time All-Defensive team selection. Washington also
brings back veteran point guard Kristi Toliver, who has two WNBA titles on her
resume, including one in Washington in 2019. The Mystics also made a trade
with Las Vegas to acquire the negotiating rights with versatile center Amanda
Zahui B, who they signed two days later to a one-year deal.
Los Angeles: This is an offseason of major change in Los Angeles, with a new
coach in Curt Miller and two key additions via trade: point guard Jasmine
Thomas from Connecticut and wing Dearica Hamby from Las Vegas. As mentioned
above, the Sparks added versatile forward Azurá Stevens from Chicago as well
as Stephanie Talbot from Seattle as free agents. Los Angeles also brought back
guards Jordin Canada (who led L.A. in assists at 5.5 per game, 8th in WNBA)
and Lexie Brown. With Brown (39.8%) and Talbot (39.7%), the Sparks have the
ninth and 10th-ranked 3-point shooters from last season.
Dallas: The Wings opened free agency by re-signing center Teaira McCowan, who
was a breakout star for Dallas in the second half of the 2022 season. In
addition to locking down their center, the Wings also signed guard Crystal
Dangerfield – whose reserved rights they acquired as part of the three-team
trade with New York and Connecticut last month – to a multi-year deal.
Indiana: The Fever brought back guard Erica Wheeler – who played in Indiana
from 2016 to 2019, winning All-Star Game MVP honors in her final season with
the Fever before signing with Los Angeles in 2021 and playing last season in
Atlanta. The Fever also signed Maya Caldwell, who the Fever drafted 33rd
overall in 2021, but played last season in Atlanta. Keep in mind the Fever
also hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft this April.
Phoenix: The Mercury have re-signed guards Sophie Cunningham and Jennie Simms,
while guards Kia Nurse (a full-time starter for the Mercury in 2021 but
missed all of 2022 due to an ACL tear) and Yvonne Turner both signed with
Seattle as free agents. However, there is one legendary guard that remains an
unrestricted free agent — Diana Taurasi — who has spent her entire 18-year
career in Phoenix.
Atlanta: The Dream has re-signed forwards Monique Billings and Nia Coffey and
guard AD Durr. Both Coffey and Durr missed more than half of last season due
to injuries but worked with the Dream’s medical team on rehab this offseason.
The free-agent signings come after the Dream acquired Allisha Gray and
Danielle Robinson in a pair of trades last month.
Minnesota: The Lynx signed free agent guard Tiffany Mitchell, who spent the
first seven seasons of her WNBA career with the Indiana Fever and brings
career averages of 9.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. The Lynx also re
-signed four players: forwards Bridget Carleton, Damiris Dantas, Nikolina
Milic, and guard Lindsay Allen.
https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-free-agency-2023-five-early-takeaways/
2023 Free Agency List
https://www.wnba.com/news/2023-free-agency-list/
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