2023 WNBA Season Preview: Washington Mystics
The Mystics got back on track last year and look to contend for a title this season. Even with a new coach and new faces, Washington seems primed to do just that.
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After post-championship two years in the wilderness without Elena Delle Donne, the Washington Mystics got back on track as a franchise in 2022. EDD returned and played most of the season at a high level without further injury. Washington finished over .500 for the first time since the 2019 title run. Their 61.1% winning percentage (22-14) is the fourth-best in franchise history with EDD’s last two full seasons ranking above it. Her return to form was the story of Washington’s campaign that ended at the hands of the Seattle Storm in the first round of the playoffs. Beyond their MVP’s health, the Mystics’ 2022 was highlighted by the team’s league-best defensive unit, rookie Shakira Austin bursting onto the scene, and renewed hope in both the team’s present and future.
New Coach
Washington has a new coach for the first time in a decade. Mike Thibault stepped down (or up or sideways) into the full-time general manager role, while Eric Thibault moved over from the assistant coach chair to the head coach’s spot. The coaching change from Mike to Eric Thibault should not diminish continuity as much as other changes would. Not only is Mike sticking around, but Eric is experienced with this particular group of players. Seven players have played for the Mystics and the roster could feature as many as six players from the 2019 championship roster. They will likely return over 70% of their minutes and 80% of their points. Eric has also been instrumental in developing the team’s style of play, especially their dominant defense. He will face new challenges and may falter at points in the year. However, Eric Thibault and the Mystics are set up for immediate success as much as a team with a new coach can be.
Tweaks to the roster
While the roster returns most of the team’s production, several faces have changed. They will have one new starter with Alysha Clark departing in free agency to the superteam in Las Vegas. Free agent acquisition Brittney Sykes figures to slot into Clark’s role as the starting small forward. Like Clark, Sykes is known for her defense and will help keep the Mystics among the league’s best defenses. But Sykes is very different from Clark, as I explained in detail here. She’s more dynamic and athletic than the older Clark, but Clark brought an unparalleled level of knowledge to the defensive end. Sykes brings more rim pressure than Clark, but Clark is a far superior 3-point shooter. How these tradeoffs affect the team might determine the Mystics’ outcome this season.
The other major departures are Elizabeth Williams and Rui Machida. Kristi Toliver will take over the backup point guard responsibilities from Machida, who did not return to the WNBA this year. Toliver is a DMV legend due to her heroics with the University of Maryland and the Mystics, including starring for the 2019 championship team. You hear a lot of point guards called a “coach on the floor,” but Toliver is literally a coach on the floor as she comes to the Mystics after being an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks. She’s also a dog who will bring the right attitude and may provide a much-needed scoring punch off the bench. At age 36, she has lost a step and has not played 20 games in either of the last two years.
Amanda Zahui B seems to have the inside track on Williams’s vacated backup center role after Washington traded two second-round picks for her in the offseason. Zahui B returns after a year away from the WNBA. At 6-foot-5, Zahui B is a big body with stretch abilities. She’s very comfortable on the perimeter offensively and has had good 3-point shooting seasons in the past. Defensively, the dropoff from Williams to Zahui B seems steep. Zahui B is fine in the post, but teams will target her in the pick-and-roll. There’s still a chance that she doesn’t make the final roster, but she’s essentially the only other center on the roster except for Austin.
With EDD, Cloud, Atkins, Sykes, Austin, Toliver, Zahui B, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, and Myisha Hines-Allen in tow, Eric Thibault has two more roster spots to play with. Tianna Hawkins seems like she’ll take one of those considering she’s played seven years with the Mystics. But she is slowing down at age 32 and wasn’t very effective for DC last year. Emily Engstler, the fourth overall pick in last year’s draft, made an excellent impression in the preseason and has so much upside. Jazmine Jones and Li Meng, a star in China, are still on the roster. The Mystics may keep one of them to bolster their backcourt, which would force Washington to pick between Hawkins and Engstler.
What are realistic expectations?
Washington finished 5th in the regular season standings last year. They missed out on home-court advantage due to losing a tiebreaker with the Seattle Storm. The Storm swept the Mystics before they could even play a home playoff game. This season, Washington’s first goal is likely a top-four finish to ensure home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. As things stand now and assuming a healthy year, the Mystics should expect to accomplish that goal. On paper, only two teams unquestionably have more talent than them (the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty) and they appear significantly more talented than every other team besides Connecticut. Considering the team’s history of winning and roster continuity, it seems like a good bet that they can reach their potential.
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