WNBA Free Agency rolls on into week 2. But most of the big signings or trades have already happened, so it’s time to take stock. I’m picking my best and worst moves based on a few questions. First, does a move push a team into contention for the WNBA title or does it pull them further away from it? Second, did the team properly value the player they acquired? Third, does the move fit into a cohesive vision of the team’s future? Feel free to fight me on Twitter, @gabe_ibrahim, over any of these opinions.
Best Moves
1. Connecticut picks up DeWanna Bonner
Anytime you get a player like DeWanna Bonner, you’ll probably be winning the off-season. Bonner was the best player on the market and fit on every roster in the league. You can read my initial reactions to the trade here and Justin Carter’s breakdown about what she will bring the Sun on the court here.
Bonner was an unrestricted free agent, so she could have just signed with the Sun outright. But the Sun had to trade for her because Bonner rightfully wanted her supermax contract (4 years, $889k) and could only get from her former team or through a sign-and-trade. The Sun gave up three first-round picks up for the three-time All Star. They traded their 2020 first-rounder (10th), Seattle’s 2020 first (7th), and their 2021 first. Connecticut got Seattle’s pick by signing-and-trading Morgan Tuck to the Storm.
It’s a steep price, certainly. But credit to the Sun for engineering the Tuck move and trusting that DeWanna wanted to be in Connecticut. Bonner is 32 years old and her play will likely decline by the end of the deal. But at least for next year, the move could push Connecticut from runners-up to champions so it wins the offseason.
[NOTE: this was written before Connecticut traded Courtney Williams. I still believe Connecticut is a title contender]
Gabe Ibrahim 