After much speculation, the Skylar Diggins-Smith trade finally happened as Winsidr’s Rachel Galligan told the world.
The Trade:
Dallas traded Skylar Diggins-Smith to Phoenix for the 5th and 7th picks in the 2020 draft and Phoenix’s 2021 first-round pick. Then, Dallas traded Phoenix’s 2021 first to Chicago for Astou Ndour.
The trade was actually two sign-and-trades. First and most importantly, Diggins-Smith signed a reported four-year supermax contract with Dallas (#GettheEntireBag) then got moved for three first-round picks. The Wings cored Skylar to retain her exclusive negotiating rights, but the plan was always to get her approval on a trade and move her before the season starts in May.
The path of the picks involved in this trade is interesting. Phoenix earned the 5th pick in the 2020 draft with an underwhelming, injury-riddled 2019 season. They acquired the 7th pick from Connecticut along with the 11th pick and CT’s 2021 first rounder for DeWanna Bonner. Connecticut acquired the 7th pick from Seattle for Morgan Tuck and the 11th overall pick.
Connecticut’s return for Tuck didn’t make sense for a contender, until they used it to get Bonner. Similarly, the draft picks that Phoenix got for Bonner didn’t help the team contend in the twlight of Diana Taurasi’s career. Until they turned them into Skylar Diggins-Smith.
The Wings then got Astou Ndour from Chicago for Phoenix’s 2021 first. Ndour had signed a three-year offer sheet with Atlanta, which Chicago matched within 30 minutes likely with this trade in the works. The offer sheet was for her maximum salary, starting at $185k in 2020. Ndour had to agree to the trade.
Gabe Ibrahim 