2024-25 WNBA Offseason Guides: Chicago Sky
2024-25 WNBA Offseason Guides: Chicago Sky
Our breakdowns of where each WNBA team stands heading into 2025 continue with the Chicago Sky
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Previously published 2024-25 Offseason Guides:
Los Angeles Sparks
Dallas Wings
2024 record: 13-27, eliminated from playoff contention on final day of the regular season.
2025 draft picks: As part of the 2023 Marina Mabrey trade, Dallas own swap rights to Chicago's 2025 first-round pick, a decision that doesn't have to be made until after the lottery draw. As a result the Sky can't jump to No. 1, but could still end up in any of the other lottery positions. From the 2024 Mabrey trade, the Sky also hold a second 2025 first-round pick from Connecticut, probably the No. 10 overall (the league are yet to confirm where they're placing Golden State in the draft, hence the doubt). Those are the only picks Chicago currently hold in the 2025 draft, having given up different second-rounders in each Mabrey deal, and their third-rounder in the trade that sent Li Yueru and Julie Allemand to Los Angeles for the 2024 No. 8.
Free agents: Isabelle Harrison (unrestricted free agent), Brianna Turner (unrestricted free agent), Diamond DeShields (unrestricted free agent), Michaela Onyenwere (restricted free agent), Dana Evans (restricted free agent), Chennedy Carter (restricted free agent).
Under contract for 2025: Moriah Jefferson, Elizabeth Williams, Rachel Banham, Lindsay Allen, Kamilla Cardoso, Angel Reese.
2024 performance: Given the mess they were in heading into 2024, and the painfully uneven year they had on the court, it wasn't a completely disastrous year for the Sky. The manoeuvering to get up to No. 7 in the 2024 draft has to be considered a dramatic success at this point, as it landed them Angel Reese to pair with No. 4 pick Kamilla Cardoso in a frontcourt that they'll hope to build around for many years to come. Both players had their issues as rookies, Cardoso starting off with an injury, then battling foul trouble and other typical rookie growing pains at times. Reese's shooting percentage and finishing technique continue to be a concern, before a fractured bone in her wrist ended her season. But Reese's exceptional rebounding and effective physicality inside, combined with Cardoso's pure size and potential as both a finisher and rim protector offer significant hope for the future.
On the perimeter, excitement and hope came from Chennedy Carter, given a chance to rebuild her WNBA career in Chicago that largely went well. Her ability on the court remains obvious, so assuming they manage to retain her for next season, they have to hope she's grown up enough to avoid the issues that curtailed her time in Atlanta and Los Angeles. Head coach Teresa Weatherspoon was clearly learning on the job at times alongside her young squad, so that's another element that will hopefully improve for next year now she has more experience. Then it's a case of trying to add offensive firepower and defensive chemistry to a team that showed flashes in 2024 but never enough consistency at either end of the floor.
Offseason finances: The Sky have acres of salary cap space if they can convince anyone to come and join their rebuilding project in free agency. With contracts for Isabelle Harrison, Brianna Turner and Diamond DeShields coming to an end, and Elizabeth Williams signing an extension that lowered her salary from last year, they have six players under contract and a staggering $923,625 in cap space. That is very nearly enough to add four max salary players and stay under the cap. Of course, some of that money will likely be earmarked for bringing back some of their own out-of-contract players, including restricted free agents Carter and Michaela Onyenwere. Dana Evans is also a restricted free agent, but given she lost her starting spot during the season and then trade rumours repeatedly circulated, they may be hoping to sign-and-trade her for something rather than re-sign her to continue playing in Chicago.
As always with rebuilding teams and squads that don't look like they're about to threaten winning a championship, the issue could be attracting anyone worth spending that money on. Especially in an offseason where the vast majority of players will only be looking to sign one-year deals due to the anticipated spike in salaries in 2026. So it may be another offseason where Chicago try to find diamonds in the rough like Carter, and ideally younger players who can grow with their core, rather than bringing in established stars to try to make them contenders immediately.
Offseason priorities: The targets for Chicago once again have to be growth and development. The Sky already announced that they're building a dedicated practice facility which should bring them closer to competitors around the league in terms of facilities ahead of the 2026 season. Until then, they don't look likely to be an insta-rebuild team like Seattle pulled off this year by attracting Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike as a package deal in the same offseason. Assuming nothing like that is on the cards, the rebuild will have to continue along more traditional lines - draft picks, some marginal 'second chance' additions who might hit and don't cost much if they don't, and making sure things are organised correctly behind the scenes to maximise internal development.
The Sky lucked out that Dallas had a dreadful 2024 season as well, meaning that the pick swap from the Mabrey acquisition may only drop them a spot or two in the draft order (or even not move them down at all). It means that any dreams of Paige Bueckers are likely impossible, but virtually any of the other rookies in this class are still a possibility. We've also seen that the new Sky front office aren't afraid to make deals, so don't be surprised if they bounce around the draft order if they spot an opportunity. They also have to decide if they're in the Chennedy Carter business for the long-term. Her play on the court certainly suggested they should be, and Weatherspoon appeared to connect with her, but from inside the franchise they'll know better than any of us whether the character issues that have been a problem in the past are still cause for concern. Whether they retain Carter or not, much of their attention for the upcoming offseason will be directed towards upgrading the perimeter. Lindsay Allen reminded everyone how effective she can be as a heady point guard, but they desperately need more scoring threats and outside shooting to surround their young posts - neither of whom have much range themselves. But whoever they manage to draft and sign, it's likely to be another year where the focus is more on development than immediate success.
Future assets: While they probably won't regret the move given how important Reese has been to them on and off the court, Chicago unfortunately gave up swap rights to their own first-round pick yet again in the deal to move up to No. 7 to snag Reese. So Minnesota own swap rights to Chicago's 2026 first-rounder. However, the Sky do have an extra 2026 first-round pick, because they received Phoenix's in the trade that sent Kahleah Copper to the Mercury. They also hold swap rights between that pick and Connecticut's (from the second Mabrey deal), giving them an extra chance to get a high selection. So there's likely no value to the Sky in being bad in 2025 (unless Minnesota collapse next year like Dallas did this season), but they could be picking high in 2026 anyway. They also have their own second- and third-round picks, an extra second-rounder from New York (via the Rebekah Gardner trade) and even the right to swap second-rounders with Phoenix (another part of the Copper deal). They ultimately may well not make all these selections, but it means they have lots of assets to work with in negotiations. They also have the reserve rights to Serbian post Nikolina Milić, who's shown the ability to be a solid WNBA backup, and even the suspended rights to Spanish guard María Conde if she ever wants to give the WNBA a try (I wouldn't hold your breath).
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It was odd to me that the Sky extended Elizabeth Williams. Though that makes for a very strong three-player power forward/post rotation, it also seems redundant for a team desperate for outside shooting. Maybe the plan is to move Williams for a shooter, which would make sense since none of the non-Bueckers high draft picks can shoot very well, but still ...
Carter may be the key to it all. She missed a lot of games late, due to "illness," which may indeed be true. If so, then starting her for 40 games will give TSpoon something to work with -- though I'd be tempted to zone up, stop Carter's penetration and watch Lindsey Allen miss threes.
Richard, how do the signed players vs. the restricted and unrestricted players affect each team's decision whom to protect for the expansion draft?