2023-24 WNBA Offseason Guides: Connecticut Sun
Our series breaking down where WNBA teams stand heading into 2024 continues with the Connecticut Sun
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Previously published 2023-24 Offseason Guides:
Seattle Storm
Phoenix Mercury
Indiana Fever
Los Angeles Sparks
Chicago Sky
Washington Mystics
Atlanta Dream
Minnesota Lynx
Dallas Wings
2023 record: 27-13, defeated Minnesota 2-1 in first-round, eliminated 3-1 in semifinals by New York
2024 draft picks: The Sun have all their own 2024 draft picks, including a first-rounder that will be No. 10 overall, but no additional selections.
Free agents: DeWanna Bonner (uncoreable unrestricted free agent), Brionna Jones (UFA), Tiffany Hayes (UFA), Rebecca Allen (UFA), Bernadett Határ (Reserved)
Under contract: Alyssa Thomas, Natisha Hiedeman, Tyasha Harris, DiJonai Carrington, Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Leigha Brown
2023 performance: Stop me if you've heard this before - the Connecticut Sun lost a key piece of their roster who missed virtually the whole season, played well anyway despite the absence and resulting disruption, put up a hell of a fight in the playoffs, and came away with lots of credit but no banner in the rafters. You could be forgiven for being thoroughly tired of that script if you're a Sun fan. Expectations were a little different this year after all the changes before the 2023 season. It started with a new general manager and head coach, before former MVP Jonquel Jones was granted her wish for a trade, bringing back Rebecca Allen, Tyasha Harris, and the draft pick that eventually became Tiffany Hayes in a later deal. Jasmine Thomas was also traded away as part of the effort to reshape the roster.
So they were still expecting to be pretty good, but maybe with some growing pains due to the new system and all the new pieces. Then Brionna Jones ruptured her Achilles and the challenge became even greater. But that was merely a minor bump in the road for the Sun, who kept winning and stayed solidly the third-best team in the league virtually all year long. Unfortunately for them that position held true in the postseason, where they gave New York a battle in the semifinals and stole the opener on the road, but ultimately bowed out. It was another entertaining, exciting season, with Stephanie White winning Coach of the Year, Alyssa Thomas narrowly missing out on MVP (she got my 'vote'), and DeWanna Bonner having one of the best seasons of her career in the year she turned 36. However, having fallen short of a title yet again, they're at another fork in the road. How much interest is there in bringing this group back again to take another run, or does the 'reshaping' of the roster start to lean further into becoming a rebuild?
Offseason finances: The Sun have acres of cap space heading into the offseason, but that's because so many key pieces of this season's roster are out of contract. Thomas has a year left on her deal earning between the max and supermax, Harris and Natisha Hiedeman are on reasonable low-end deals, and then they have three backups on rookie-scale contracts. That's it for players currently signed to return in 2024. If those six returned, they would have $811,910 to fill out the remaining five or six spots on the roster.
So let's say they want to basically run this year back, hoping increased familiarity and better health lead to improvement, and everyone wanted to return. Bernadett Határ on the minimum ($64,154) would leave $747,756 for Bonner, Jones, Hayes and Allen. Some of them might get better offers elsewhere, but that doesn't seem implausible. It's just under $187,000 each if they wanted to split it equally, with slight increases and equal decreases potentially necessary to keep everyone happy and under the cap.
Of course, it may well not be as simple as that. They have their core spot available after using it on Jones last year, when she signed a cheaper one-year contract than she could have demanded. They could use it on her again, but the Achilles injury complicates matters on both sides. They can't core Bonner because of her previous seasons played under a core contract, but will probably expect they have an edge in re-signing her given their established relationship and her engagement to Thomas. Although at 36 and with a lot of miles on the clock, there's always the chance that Bonner walks off into retirement rather than playing anywhere. Of course, if any of these players walk away, or if the Sun simply choose not to pursue re-signing them, then the cash becomes available to chase free agents instead.
Offseason priorities: This is one of the most open-ended situations in the league, given the number of key players they have who are about to become free agents. Brionna Jones was a huge part of their plans and likely headed for another all-star game before her injury, but now also creates an awkward situation. An Achilles tear is usually a 12-month injury, so she could still be working her way back when next season rolls around, or trying to build her way back to full health as the season goes along. How much do you pay a player in that situation? Can you risk coring her again - with the possibility that she simply signs the $241,984 core qualifying offer that comes with the tag - when her health and post-injury level of performance are still up in the air? Is the bigger risk not coring her and potentially losing a player of her quality for nothing?
On the opposite side, if they wanted to lean into renewing the roster rather than bringing back the same core - or the players make that choice for them by walking away and/or retiring - then what's the plan? Players like Jewell Loyd, Kahleah Copper and Betnijah Laney signing extensions late in the regular season means that the free agent pool isn't nearly as deep as it looked like it was going to be at the top end. They could drift more towards the smallball they were somewhat forced into this year and chase guards like Jordin Canada or Skylar Diggins-Smith, but the front office may not think they're worth the money for the potential upgrade on Harris and Hiedeman. Big names like Brittney Griner or Breanna Stewart don't seem likely to have Connecticut high on their lists, if they're even contemplating leaving their current homes (and Jonquel Jones surely isn't coming back). They could try to get younger with someone like Alanna Smith, especially if Bonner decides she's done, but may find themselves looking at the market and deciding it would be hard to upgrade on what they already had in 2023. Allen had a useful season when pushed into a more consistent role than she ever seemed to have in New York, and unless they think Carrington is ready for significantly more responsibility, Hayes gives them a downhill attack they don't get from their other guards.
Reorganising a roster with more shooting, more youth and generally more players your current brain trust actually chose sounds nice in theory. But if the players aren't out there to go after, maybe running it back starts to look reasonably appealing.
Future assets: The Sun still have their first- and second-rounders in 2025, with only their third-round pick given up to acquire Leigha Brown just before the 2023 season began. They also have Kianna Smith's reserved rights, acquired as part of the Jasmine Thomas trade with Los Angeles, who could be an additional backcourt option after missing this season due to injury.
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Brionna Jones's return, if and when, and if they sign her, can shape the roster - I see DB continue her career with the Sun, perhaps at less $$ because she wouldn't leave AT to play with another team. The 10th pick of the draft will/should be someone who can contribute. And there may be another free agent player (outside shooter & defense-minded) who neatly fits into the Sun's scheme.