Concur with your analysis. The trade will look really bad if we don’t bring in good talent with the extra cap space.
Like Skylar if coach Quinn can channel the energy into positives instead of whining at officials or ranting at her teammates. Or maybe playing with DT pushed that button.
I'm very excited that the Storm are getting SDS/Diggety to be their point guard for at least 2 years! What an upgrade! We may have the best backcourt in the W this season. I'm sure Jewell's ppg will be down and she may not even be our leading scorer w Skylar running w her, but the team will be much much better, especially if we also add Nneka! Thanks for the read.
Las Vegas might still have the best backcourt in the W with Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray. But it might be Seattle. I would put Loyd and Diggins-Smith above Sabrina Ionesco and Courtney Vandersloot.
The Storm are still lacking with some of the depth pieces and their posts won't compete with the league's best if they aren't able to add Nneka.
Great analysis, as always! Has anyone ever provided an actual definition of the term "super team?" I loathe the term (based on my interpretation of it), and all the negatives for any sport where such "teams" can be assembled.
I should be excited about the Diggins-Smith signing - I had to swallow hard when it came to pass, because of the on-court antics I've seen from her and what I've observed of her demeanor. That said, I'll admit that she's a major upgrade of last year's trainwreck of point guard play. One more piece...
Great analysis. I really like your point about if Nneka goes to NY ( which I think she will) giving up the 4th pick looks bad. I also worry about a 33 year old player who hasn't played in a year and has character red flags. And your point about a weak bench is valid. I was looking forward to the Storm rebuilding through the draft, but they obviously have chosen a different path. I look at Cheryl Reeves and the Lynx, and IMO, they are doing it right.
I'm not really worried about Skylar because she's come back from pregnancy before and lit it up. After having her first child, the very next season she averaged 17.7 PPG. The following season 17.7 PPG and then 19.7 PPG in her last season before having her second child. As long as she is healthy, I can't envision her averaging anything less than 13 PPG which would still be a major upgrade from last season and more scoring than the team normally gets from a point guard even during Sue's tenure.
I think fans should give SDS a fair chance as far as attitude and character concerns. The Shock/Wings organization was known to be problematic and it wasn't just her. I believe they also were not supportive when she became pregnant the first time. Then in Phoenix, that whole situation was chaotic. Her and Diana did not appear to get along but DT has always been known as a hot head and sort of a poor sport, at least while on the court. Plus the whole coaching fiasco and team's internal turmoil - Tina Charles asking to be released out of her contract and other players saying "F*ck Tina Charles!" on her way out.
While I think it's valid that if problems follow you everywhere then you might be the problem. But her stint in Seattle will tell us everything. Storm Culture is a legit thing. If a player can't make it work in Seattle then it is likely on the player.
Regarding giving up the 4th overall pick. I want to believe the team was very confident that Nneka was going to sign with the team. Ideally, you don't make that move unless you're 80-90% certain she is signing with the team (or another big name like Bonner).
I'm a big believer in building through the draft as I've written about recently. But if you told me, that I have to give up the 4th overall pick but it'll allow me to sign both Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike then I'd absolutely take that deal. As I said in my other article, it's a tough situation because if they just tank and build through the draft entirely, then the team is wasting Jewell Loyd's prime.
And we don't know what ownership's orders are either. They may say, "Hey Talisa, do whatever it takes to turn this into an immediate playoff team in one year even if it means sacrificing the future! Just get it done!"
I hope Nneka is just taking advantage of free agency. Why wouldn’t she? She gets a free trip to NY and wined and dined. The best fit truly is Seattle. She will start, but also get some rest as we do have reasonable depth @ big with Dulcy & Cedes. Now, if we DO lose out on Nneka, I just hope we have a plan B and shoot for Bec Allen. (I don’t see Bonner leaving the Sun, and if she does I think a PHO reunion would be more likely and make way more sense fit wise).
And to your super team point—Lynx/Dream/Wings/Sun(if they stay in tact) are making solid teams themselves—-even Fever. Sky/Mystics/Sparks are all hurting for real tho. Especially the Sky with no first round picks in the recent future.
Concur with your analysis. The trade will look really bad if we don’t bring in good talent with the extra cap space.
Like Skylar if coach Quinn can channel the energy into positives instead of whining at officials or ranting at her teammates. Or maybe playing with DT pushed that button.
I'm very excited that the Storm are getting SDS/Diggety to be their point guard for at least 2 years! What an upgrade! We may have the best backcourt in the W this season. I'm sure Jewell's ppg will be down and she may not even be our leading scorer w Skylar running w her, but the team will be much much better, especially if we also add Nneka! Thanks for the read.
Las Vegas might still have the best backcourt in the W with Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray. But it might be Seattle. I would put Loyd and Diggins-Smith above Sabrina Ionesco and Courtney Vandersloot.
The Storm are still lacking with some of the depth pieces and their posts won't compete with the league's best if they aren't able to add Nneka.
Jeff...
Great analysis, as always! Has anyone ever provided an actual definition of the term "super team?" I loathe the term (based on my interpretation of it), and all the negatives for any sport where such "teams" can be assembled.
I should be excited about the Diggins-Smith signing - I had to swallow hard when it came to pass, because of the on-court antics I've seen from her and what I've observed of her demeanor. That said, I'll admit that she's a major upgrade of last year's trainwreck of point guard play. One more piece...
Great analysis. I really like your point about if Nneka goes to NY ( which I think she will) giving up the 4th pick looks bad. I also worry about a 33 year old player who hasn't played in a year and has character red flags. And your point about a weak bench is valid. I was looking forward to the Storm rebuilding through the draft, but they obviously have chosen a different path. I look at Cheryl Reeves and the Lynx, and IMO, they are doing it right.
I'm not really worried about Skylar because she's come back from pregnancy before and lit it up. After having her first child, the very next season she averaged 17.7 PPG. The following season 17.7 PPG and then 19.7 PPG in her last season before having her second child. As long as she is healthy, I can't envision her averaging anything less than 13 PPG which would still be a major upgrade from last season and more scoring than the team normally gets from a point guard even during Sue's tenure.
I think fans should give SDS a fair chance as far as attitude and character concerns. The Shock/Wings organization was known to be problematic and it wasn't just her. I believe they also were not supportive when she became pregnant the first time. Then in Phoenix, that whole situation was chaotic. Her and Diana did not appear to get along but DT has always been known as a hot head and sort of a poor sport, at least while on the court. Plus the whole coaching fiasco and team's internal turmoil - Tina Charles asking to be released out of her contract and other players saying "F*ck Tina Charles!" on her way out.
While I think it's valid that if problems follow you everywhere then you might be the problem. But her stint in Seattle will tell us everything. Storm Culture is a legit thing. If a player can't make it work in Seattle then it is likely on the player.
Regarding giving up the 4th overall pick. I want to believe the team was very confident that Nneka was going to sign with the team. Ideally, you don't make that move unless you're 80-90% certain she is signing with the team (or another big name like Bonner).
I'm a big believer in building through the draft as I've written about recently. But if you told me, that I have to give up the 4th overall pick but it'll allow me to sign both Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike then I'd absolutely take that deal. As I said in my other article, it's a tough situation because if they just tank and build through the draft entirely, then the team is wasting Jewell Loyd's prime.
And we don't know what ownership's orders are either. They may say, "Hey Talisa, do whatever it takes to turn this into an immediate playoff team in one year even if it means sacrificing the future! Just get it done!"
Really good points. Let’s just hope Nneka signs!
“charmin ultra soft” 👩🍳💋
I hope Nneka is just taking advantage of free agency. Why wouldn’t she? She gets a free trip to NY and wined and dined. The best fit truly is Seattle. She will start, but also get some rest as we do have reasonable depth @ big with Dulcy & Cedes. Now, if we DO lose out on Nneka, I just hope we have a plan B and shoot for Bec Allen. (I don’t see Bonner leaving the Sun, and if she does I think a PHO reunion would be more likely and make way more sense fit wise).
And to your super team point—Lynx/Dream/Wings/Sun(if they stay in tact) are making solid teams themselves—-even Fever. Sky/Mystics/Sparks are all hurting for real tho. Especially the Sky with no first round picks in the recent future.
Chef kiss, haha. I'm glad you liked that.