Changes are coming to the Sky’s roster, one way or the other.
The first method general manager Jeff Pagliocca could employ to add to the team’s 10 available players is a seven-day contract. The second — a trade — will not be well-received by Sky fans.
In the last three weeks, teams have waived players and signed others to shore up their rosters ahead of the second-half playoff push. The Sky took care of the first half of that equation, waiving guard Kysre Gondrezick, but Pagliocca has been slow in pulling the trigger on an addition.
The likely reason is that he doesn’t see an attractive option on the waiver market, which could mean Pagliocca is working on a deal.
Looking at the Sky’s roster, the most valuable trade asset is guard Dana Evans.
Moving Evans would send shock waves through the fan base. Her future in Chicago was in question when coach Teresa Weatherspoon removed her from the starting lineup June 16. Going back further, former Sky coach/general manager James Wade’s decision to trade for Marina Mabrey played a considerable role in Evans’ trajectory shifting.
In 2023, it appeared Evans was poised for a starting role after an exodus of championship stars in free agency, including Courtney Vandersloot, who signed with the Liberty. Wade’s trade for Mabrey and the signing of guard Courtney Williams meant Evans once again would be relegated to coming off the bench.
Evans, a native of Gary, Indiana, averaged 10.3 points, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 12 games as a starter. In the 10 games since being moved to the bench heading into the Sky’s game Saturday against the Liberty, Evans averaged 5.1 points and 2.2 assists in 14.4 minutes.
Lindsay Allen, who replaced Evans as the Sky’s starting point guard, is averaging 5.4 points and 4.5 assists since becoming a starter.
The question isn’t whether Evans can make an impact, but rather if Chicago is the best place for her.
If Pagliocca makes a trade before the second half of the season, expect Evans to be at the center of it.
Rookie in name only
Leonie Fiebich is a rookie by definition, but her experience says otherwise.
After being selected in the second round of the 2020 draft by the Sparks, Fiebich was acquired by the Sky for forward Gabby Williams the next year. But she spent the last four years developing her game in Europe.
“It took me awhile to understand the whole concept of getting traded,” Fiebich said. “They don’t really want you to come to training camp. They want you to develop, so I had to be patient. Once I understood that, my mindset was to live in the moment, be where your feet are.”
Fiebich’s feet are now firmly planted with the Liberty after Wade included her in the four-team trade that brought Mabrey to the Sky. Fiebich is averaging 5.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 18.5 minutes for the Liberty
On Thursday, she scored a career-high 13 points, shooting 4-for-5 from three-point range against the Sky.
This and that
- Two-time MVP Breanna Stewart (right hamstring) missed the game against the Sky on Saturday. Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said she doesn’t expect the injury to affect her long-term availability. Stewart is expected to help lead Team USA, which will be shooting for its eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal later this month in Paris.
- Brondello played 302 games for the Australian national team, winning three Olympic medals: bronze in 1996 and silver in 2000 and 2004. She was named coach of the Opals in 2017 and will lead the team in pursuit of its sixth Olympic medal at the 2024 Games.
