Only a few hours earlier than the WNBA commerce deadline on Tuesday, Aug. 20, the Washington Mystics pulled the set off on two trades that may have implications on the long run course of the crew.
Washington traded Myisha Hines-Allen to the Minnesota Lynx for Olivia Époupa, Sika Koné and a second-round choose. Époupa subsequently was waived, so the return for Washington is Sika Koné and a second-round draft choose in 2026.
Roster Replace: We now have acquired a 2026 second spherical draft choose, Sika Koné, and Olivia Époupa from the Minnesota Lynx in alternate for Myisha Hines-Allen.
In a associated transfer, Époupa and DiDi Richards have been waived. pic.twitter.com/CpUENwyr4Y
— Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) August 20, 2024
In response to Throughout the Timeline, the Mystics now have the three youngest gamers within the league: Jade Melbourne (22 years, 4 days), Sika Koné (22 years, 40 days) and Aaliyah Edwards (22 years, 44 days). With this transfer, Washington is clearly on the lookout for younger gamers with excessive upside as they embark on their rebuild.
The Mystics stay in rivalry for the No. 1 choose within the 2025 WNBA draft. The Mystics additionally personal the Atlanta Dream’s first-round choose, however because the Dream hold successful and the Los Angeles Sparks and Dallas Wings hold dropping, out of the blue the Mystics have gone from having the very best odds to land the primary general choose to second-best odds.
It’s not an enormous concern, however on condition that the Mystics not too long ago made one other commerce for a guard, it’s unclear which gamers can be part of the crew’s long-term rebuild. Washington additionally traded away the rights to Klara Lundquist to the Phoenix Mercury in alternate for Sug Sutton and a 2025 third-round choose. Sutton has had a stable 12 months because the backup level guard in Phoenix and she’s going to probably be requested to be the backup level guard for Washington for the rest of the season.
Commerce Alert: We now have acquired Sug Sutton and a 2025 third spherical draft choose from the Phoenix Mercury for the rights to Klara Lundquist. pic.twitter.com/iFyD9ZFuMB
— Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) August 20, 2024
Sutton initiated fairly a little bit of pick-and-roll for the Mercury when Natasha Cloud was on the bench. She is superb at controlling the tempo and tempo of the offense and never getting sped up or slowed down, which is an important ingredient this younger Mystics crew has largely lacked. As well as, the Mystics acquired one more late-round choose. Though most gamers drafted that late don’t make rosters, we’ve seen the Mystics bundle late-round picks in trades for rotation items or to maneuver up in drafts.
Mystics and Sparks battle for lottery lead
In what may as properly be known as the “Tankathon” recreation, the Mystics face off in opposition to the Sparks on Friday, Aug. 23 (7:30 p.m. ET, ION). The 2 groups with the worst report within the league are vying for the very best lottery odds. As counterintuitive because it sounds, it will really profit each groups to lose this recreation, as doing so would put them in place to safe the No. 1 choose.
Nonetheless, the matchup between Dearica Hamby and Shakira Austin can be very intriguing. Though they don’t play the identical place, Austin is extra cell on the perimeter than Stephanie Dolson so she probably can be tasked with guarding the Most Improved Participant frontrunner. In the identical breath, rookie sensation Rickea Jackson probably can be matched up with Brittney Sykes, who’s not too long ago getting back from damage.
