2023-24 Season, 2024 WNBA Free Agency and Trades

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Greetings my peeps and welcome to the All Things Basketball Podcast with your boy GD.

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In this episode I'll be doing my WNBA free agency segment here.

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This episode will be all about the WNBA, all the signings, also some big trades as well.

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So I'm here for it and hope you are as well.

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So just sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

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Ok guys this is your boy GD back with all things basketball with GD Podcast.

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In this episode I want to do a special episode guys.

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This one is going to be about the WNBA free agency and the trades and everything that's

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going on there.

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So without any further delay let's get right into it.

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I'll go by the order I have here which isn't really any kind of order but none or less

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we'll go through it.

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Let us start with the Minnesota Lynx.

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They made a few additions.

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They added a veteran like Alana Smith who played last year with the Chicago Sky, signed her

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to a two year deal and then they got themselves a point guard and free agency by signing Courtney

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Williams who also last year was on the Chicago Sky.

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She's a one time all star and she played very well for Chicago last year.

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But he ended up trading also for Natisha Heidelman who last year played ironically enough point

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guard for Connecticut.

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So they traded for her and Minnesota sent there in return Tiffany Mitchell and also

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a 2024 first round pick.

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Actually it's a second round pick.

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It's pick number 19 to be exact.

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So you have a few additions there and you add that to the mix that you already have.

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Somebody like a Nafizia Collier who had a fantastic year last year and the young players in Diamond

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Miller and Dorca Duhas.

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So Minnesota looks like Cheryl Reeves is loading up there looking good so far for them and

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then add to the mix.

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They also have a first round pick the seven pick in the draft and what probably can be

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a pretty deep draft if a few of the ladies declare you know because some of them have

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the COVID year so they have the option of staying or going to the W's.

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So that is the Minnesota story.

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Let's move on to the Atlanta Dream.

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Tina Charles who actually didn't play last year.

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She last played with the Seattle Storm but she signs as a free agent with the Atlanta

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Dream veteran.

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She's won an MVP in the league.

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She's been an eight time All-Star rookie of the year as well.

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So Atlanta is getting a valued veteran here.

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So we'll see what happens with her.

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She's still looking for that elusive WNBA championship.

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So she's figuring Atlanta might be her best route.

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Also they re-signed Nea Coffee who played for them last year and also they got from

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the Minnesota Lynx.

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Ariel Powers a guard.

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And they actually got themselves a point guard guys.

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Jordan Canada who was a free agent but they did a sign and trade together.

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So they acquired Jordan Canada and in turn they sent Ari McDonnell in 2024 first round

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pick which is the eighth pick in the draft.

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They send those to the Los Angeles Sparks.

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So Jordan Canada a player who I thought might end up in the All-Star game last year.

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That's how well she played guys.

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She's played in the W for six years.

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She's a two time champion.

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So Atlanta getting themselves a savvy point guard to add to players like Ryan Howard,

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Alisa Gray, Cheyenne Parker.

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You still got young players over there like Haley Jones.

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So Tanisha Wright she's loading up guys and then on top of that she'll also have the 12th

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pick in this coming draft.

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So the Atlanta Dream looking strong on paper here guys.

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They definitely upgraded that for sure.

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Let us move on to the Seattle Storm.

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Speaking of the Seattle Storm when I mentioned Tina Charles.

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Seattle Storm I think on paper they may have done the best of any team in free agency.

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They were able to sign Scholar Dickensmith reunited with her fellow Irishman or Irish

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woman for that matter, Jewel Lloyd to form a very dynamic backcourt guys.

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Scholar Dickensmith she's been in the league nine years.

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She's a six time All-Star.

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She's one of most improved player.

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She's been a six time All-MBA four times first team, two times second team.

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So you're getting a fabulous point guard here and this will be a tremendous help to Jewel

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Lloyd I believe.

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And they didn't stop there guys.

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They also added Nneka Awumake.

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Guys this is huge.

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Nneka she was choosing between Seattle, Chicago I believe was in the mix and the New York

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Liberty and then it came down to the Liberty and Seattle Storm and Nneka decided I'll stay

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West so she joins the Seattle Storm.

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She's a league MVP guys.

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She's won one championship.

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She's won a rookie of the year eight time All-Star.

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Six time All-Defense.

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Six time All-WNBA.

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So you're getting a star here guys.

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You talk about super teams guys at Schuyler along with Jewel Lloyd and Nneka.

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Wow.

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That is a solid line up there guys.

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And then they also sent Kia Nurse in their 2024 first round pick which is actually the

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fourth pick in this draft.

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Sent that to the Sparks and then turned they got a 2026 first round pick in return.

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And actually they did this deal prior to a Nneka Awumake deal.

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I think if the Sparks knew that this trade could lead to them losing Awumake I'm not

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sure if they would have signed off on it.

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But that's a story for another day.

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But Noel Quinn.

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She already has in the fold a defensive stalwart and Eze Magbagore.

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So you got a young player and Jordan Horstin who had a pretty fine rookie season last year.

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And if you get a healthy Gabby Williams guys Seattle is not going to be no pushover this

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season guys.

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Looking very good to Seattle's norm is at least on paper of course.

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Which leads us to the Las Vegas aces.

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What they did really is shore up what they had already and add a key piece as well.

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They retained Sydney Coulson also Kia Stokes signed to a two year deal and Candace Parker

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she decided to return to the Las Vegas aces.

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And then also you added a player like Megan and she played for the Phoenix Mercury last

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year.

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So you add Megan to the mix a forward who always need front court help over there to

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spell Asia Wilson and those ladies over there.

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Becky Hammond.

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Staying with the hands she has and then adding the veteran piece.

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So hey who's to say that the Las Vegas aces can't 3P.

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But there's teams that's gotten better so we'll see what happens there.

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So with that said let us move on to another team out West the Phoenix Mercury.

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They were able to add in free agency Natasha cloud the long time Washington Mystic the

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point guard over there.

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She won a championship she's been eight years in the W and you get in a fiery leader of

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floor general and a person who can play both ways score and defend.

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So a big addition for the Mercury also you trade it and got a player like Rebecca Allen.

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She's been in the league eight years and she last played last year for the Connecticut

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Sun.

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So you trade it for her and you sent out and return Mariah Jefferson to the Connecticut

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Sun a point guard who seems like they can use point guard help now that you don't have

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a netisha high don't know.

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So Mariah Jefferson going back home so to speak because she played at you con but a

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very good addition for the Mercury Rebecca Allen who can shoot the lights out from three

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and she had a very good year for the Connecticut Sun as well.

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And then the crown jewel that you added you got Kalea copper from the Chicago sky who's

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a bit of a swing she can play the shooting guard she can play the small forward and she

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can bring the ball up as well.

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So you trade it for her you sent out in return Breonna Turner, McKayla on the water and four

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draft picks as well going to the Chicago sky.

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Kalea copper man what a get for them guys and now that you have a Diana Terrasi who's

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long in the two guys if I were to surmise I would say this is probably her last go-round.

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So to add a Kalea copper somebody who can kind of take over when Terrasi decides to

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hang them up.

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So you add her along with Natasha cloud I tell you you got some fiery ladies there and

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ladies that could defend that's the important thing.

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You add that to what you already have in Terrasi.

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Brittany Grina I imagine she does resign with the Phoenix Mercury she's a free agent guys

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and Sophie Cunningham which makes for interesting dynamic because once upon a time Kalea copper

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and Sophie Cunningham got into a little entanglement on the court let's say that and then for the

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Chicago sky these are the picks that they ended up getting.

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They're getting the third pick in this coming draft they're also getting a 2025 second round

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pick 2026 first round pick 2026 second round pick which is actually a pick swap.

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Hey I was just talking about Seattle but Phoenix looks pretty good as well with this hall that

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they got and they're doing it with a first year coach Nate Tibbets who comes in with

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pressure directly on him his first year in the W.

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Let us move on to Washington so Washington they're losing Natasha cloud and unfortunately

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for them guys Alaina Deladon has decided to sit out the season and it comes as a bit of

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a surprise guys she's been in the W for 10 years she's one rookie of the year two time

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MVP a world champion as well seven time all-star five times all NBA.

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Alaina Deladon huge loss for them guys so we'll watch it and be in a rebuilt mode we'll see

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they did add Carly Samuelson who last year played for the LA Sparks so you signed a veteran

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like that a veteran forward and now that you got the Deladon news that makes this sign

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it even that much more important but you still have in the fold players like Ariel Atkins

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Shakira Austin get her full full season since she missed time last year with the elbow also

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Brittany Sykes who played fantastic for them last year so we'll see what happens with the

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mystics whether they'll go into rebuild mode or what and then mind you also they get the

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six pick in this 2024 draft the Dallas Wings a walk caller they're forward out of Finland

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she's gonna forgo the 2024 season she was a young promising player guys but she's going

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to sit out the season for the Dallas Wings but the Dallas Wings they do resign a bunch

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of players Kalani Brown she resigns as well as last year's most improved player Satou

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Sabali Stephanie Suarez who they picked in last year's draft she was the fourth pick

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overall but she sat with the torn ACL now with the loss of a walk it seems getting Suarez

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there will be a definite help and also they just recently signed Emma Cannon who last

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year played for the Indiana Fever a forward definitely somebody you can use also as well

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and along with that for Dallas you have a course areca will goon Bawale and also tiara

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mcowen and you know her and Kalani forms a dynamic duo in the paint and add to that

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they'll have the fifth pick in the 2024 draft in the ninth pick in the 2024 draft so Latricia

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Trammell who did an excellent job coaching them last season we'll see what happens with

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them now but they're loaded as well guys they're not going anywhere so there'll be a threat

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that's for sure let us move on to the Connecticut son who we signed a few of their players the

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one of Barna she's staying guys as well as Brianna Jones we'll see how Brianna Jones

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looks remember she went down with the knee injury she might not be ready at the start

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of the season but maybe about June or so you probably see her they also added Aztal Nadore

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fall who last played for the Chicago sky so you add someone like that Rachel Bannum who

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played for the Minnesota Lynx last year so you're adding some firepower here guys and

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then of course you have the engine Alyssa Thomas there so you add all these pieces with her

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and then also remember too you got Mariah Jefferson coming in so Connecticut son Stephanie

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White who did an amazing job last year coach of the year in fact so we'll see what she

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does with this group this year then we move to the New York Liberty who's set to sign

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both Brianna Stewart and John Quill Jones it's just a matter of time before they announce

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those signings guys but it seems like everyone's saying there's a fate of complete so we'll

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roll with that you already have a core Sabrina Anescu but Naji Laney who had a great year

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Courtney Vanneslute I believe is supposed to return and then you have the 11 pick in

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this draft coming up so Sandy Brondello looks like she'll have her core five if all the

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reports are accurate so we'll see what happens there moving on to the Los Angeles sparks

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guys during rebuild mode is no other way to say it guys they did resign Lexi Brown as well

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as Laysha Clarenin they also got Monique Billings from the Atlanta Dream but guys in this draft

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coming up they have the second pick the fourth pick in the eighth pick so you're talking

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about some young talent coming in you already have a Zaya Cook there who probably for all

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intents and purposes may end up being the starting point guard over there so you got

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some players over there but I think for Kurt Miller he's gonna have to build this from

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the ground up guys especially when you lose the likes of a Necco woman Kay her sister

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is still there Shania woman Kay so we'll see what happens with her but it seems like it's

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screaming rebuild then we move to the fever they had a few signings Katie loose Samuel

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sand who played for the sparks last year with her sister of course Carly the Maris Dante's

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who played for the Minnesota Lynx so you added a few veterans there of course you have a

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Leah Boston and Alyssa Smith Kelsey Mitchell and they'll have the number one pick in this

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draft for all intents and purposes it seems like it'll be Caitlyn Clark and they also

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have the 15th pick in the draft also so the Indiana fever with Christie sides a tough

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group guys and looks like they'll be even tougher at and then they hate Caitlyn Clark

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to the mix and then the last team I'll talk about Chicago Sky another team that's in rebuild

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mode right now they did add Lindsay Allen who played for the Minnesota Lynx last year

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and diamond the shields who sat out last year who was out for 2023 she actually comes back

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to the Chicago sky she last played with the Dallas wings but she's back with the Chicago

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sky a team that she won a WNBA championship with was a vital part of that a five year

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veteran and she made all NBA as well so Teresa Weverspoon seems like she's starting from the

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ground up over there they'll have the third pick in the draft as well as the 13th also

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so guys I gave you all the free agency talk next I will talk about the NBA trade deadline

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guys so a lot of content guys a lot of content so I'm here for it I hope you are as well

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once again I thank you for listening as always much appreciated next time you hear from me

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I'll talk about NBA trade deadline alright until then we'll talk soon take care

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thanks basketball G D hit the like button when you see our videos also write a blurb

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app GD that sports dude once again I thank you for listening and supporting the show and do take care