Our breakdowns of where WNBA teams stand heading into the offseason continue with the latest team to be eliminated from the playoffs, the former back-to-back champs
Aces blew this year by not adding depth to the bench. They had I believe 300k or so in cap space after Candace retired. Outside of Tiffany Hayes, the bench didn't give much. They won a title with aging vets but went in the opposite direction this year and had rookies( Fair, Martin, Kitley, Carter) who weren't ready to contribute in a major way.
This offseason they need to cut Stokes, MG, and KB. That gives them around 900k or so in cap. With that they can add alot of depth-
Plum- core and probably 200-210k. I think she wants the core year to get closer to true free agency but won't ask for much more salary than the other Core 4.
Get both a back pf and a Center to go with Kitley so maybe a Monica Billings or Isabella Harrison for max 100k, maybe a Taniya Jackson as the 1st center( she probably at most makes 70k) or a
Cheyenne Parker at 100k-150( doubt she gets her
same 200k salary), with a healthy Kitley to backup.
have alot of big depth around Aja with flexibility
for her to play center or power forward.
All you need now is a younger pg( 25- 30) that backup Chelsea for a year of two. Aari Macdonald, Dana Evans, Dojkic, Sherrod, etc.
Also a defensive wing or two that can replace Clark. 3 and d to rotate with Martin. So maybe bring back a Tiffany Hayes and draft someone like Ejim.
This would be the depth chart-
Pg- Gray(some Plum too), Macdonald
Sg- Plum( some Jackie Young), Ejim
Sf- Young, Martin( some Ejim)
Pf- Aja, Billings
C- Free Agent( Jackson,etc), Kitley
Two spots left for either the 2nd draft pick or training cap players. Colson can be an assistant coach. One of the spots could also go to a returning Tiffany Hayes.
It was fun while it lasted, but this run is over. Typically, though, franchises try to keep the band together even after the hits have stopped coming.
They just need to re-tool. Core still great. Just not a deep bench.
Aces blew this year by not adding depth to the bench. They had I believe 300k or so in cap space after Candace retired. Outside of Tiffany Hayes, the bench didn't give much. They won a title with aging vets but went in the opposite direction this year and had rookies( Fair, Martin, Kitley, Carter) who weren't ready to contribute in a major way.
This offseason they need to cut Stokes, MG, and KB. That gives them around 900k or so in cap. With that they can add alot of depth-
Plum- core and probably 200-210k. I think she wants the core year to get closer to true free agency but won't ask for much more salary than the other Core 4.
Get both a back pf and a Center to go with Kitley so maybe a Monica Billings or Isabella Harrison for max 100k, maybe a Taniya Jackson as the 1st center( she probably at most makes 70k) or a
Cheyenne Parker at 100k-150( doubt she gets her
same 200k salary), with a healthy Kitley to backup.
have alot of big depth around Aja with flexibility
for her to play center or power forward.
All you need now is a younger pg( 25- 30) that backup Chelsea for a year of two. Aari Macdonald, Dana Evans, Dojkic, Sherrod, etc.
Also a defensive wing or two that can replace Clark. 3 and d to rotate with Martin. So maybe bring back a Tiffany Hayes and draft someone like Ejim.
This would be the depth chart-
Pg- Gray(some Plum too), Macdonald
Sg- Plum( some Jackie Young), Ejim
Sf- Young, Martin( some Ejim)
Pf- Aja, Billings
C- Free Agent( Jackson,etc), Kitley
Two spots left for either the 2nd draft pick or training cap players. Colson can be an assistant coach. One of the spots could also go to a returning Tiffany Hayes.