Bec Allen: Offseason Opportunities

Discussing which teams are an offseason fit for Bec Allen

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(Photo Credit: Connecticut Sun)

Rebecca “Bec” Allen was a key cog for the Connecticut Sun this past season. Six-foot-two with a lengthy wingspan, Allen provided the Sun with wing defense and shot-blocking. Last season, she ranked seventh in the W in total blocks. On offense, Allen was a knockdown shooter. 

She is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, so let’s look into some potential landing spots for her. 

Connecticut Sun

This makes sense and is perhaps the most likely destination for Allen, especially if the Sun want to try and make another playoff push. Also, Allen recently posted on social media about the joy she had being a part of the team. 

The Connecticut Sun surprised some people in 2023. After trading away 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones to the New York Liberty, losing head coach Curt Miller to Los Angeles, and losing Sixth Player of the Year Brionna Jones to an Achilles injury in-season, things could have gone awry in Uncasville. But Connecticut surpassed expectations. Alyssa Thomas had an MVP-caliber campaign, breaking numerous records and leading the league in total rebounds and assists. New head coach Stephanie White helped guide the team to a third-place finish in the standings. For her efforts, she was named the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year. 

Connecticut won its opening-round playoff series against the Minnesota Lynx 2-1, giving it a semifinals matchup against the New York Liberty. In a 78-63 blowout, the Sun pulled off a shocking Game 1 victory on the road against a star-studded New York team. But the Liberty bounced back, winning the next three games of the series and advancing to the WNBA Finals. Considering these results, Connecticut opting to try and bring back most of the roster is plausible.

The Sun have $811,910 in cap space to spend. Thus, they have more than enough space to keep Allen in Uncasville if she desires. Other players the team will likely look to bring back are DeWanna Bonner (if she does not retire) and Brionna Jones. While promoting the Sun’s 2024 regular-season game in Boston at the TD Garden, Jones told Boston Globe reporter Gary Washburn that she should be ready for training camp. Connecticut could core Allen, but they also have that option for Jones. One thing Connecticut may want to think about before using the core is the hefty price tag if accepted: the supermax of $241,984.

Tiffany Hayes, another key member of the Sun last season, announced her retirement from the WNBA on a recent podcast. Hayes was one of Connecticut’s three main scoring options in the regular season and playoffs. The Sun will likely look to replace Hayes’ ability to get downhill and knock down perimeter shots. 

Given how much cap space the Sun have, they could be a few tweaks away from rostering another competitive team next year. Therefore, Connecticut makes sense as a destination for Allen. 

Las Vegas Aces

The Las Vegas Aces made history this season, winning their second consecutive championship. They became the first team since the 2001-02 Los Angeles Sparks to repeat, cementing their status as one of the league’s dynasties. The reigning champs are in a peculiar situation, as they have the cap space to get even better. 

Vegas will start free agency with $512,585 in cap space but need to fill at least five roster spots. However, they have enough space to fit a regular maximum spot of $208,219 and fill out the roster. There will be much speculation about whom the Aces look to acquire. Another question is the status of Candace Parker. She went down with a foot fracture during the 2023 season and missed the remainder of the year. She will also be an unrestricted free agent, but it’s unclear whether she will retire. 

Nonetheless, how would Bec Allen fit with Vegas? 3&D depth. 

Last offseason, the Aces acquired Alysha Clark, one of the league’s better defenders whom Las Vegas used primarily as a spot-up shooter on offense. Fifty-nine percent of Clark’s points came from 3-pointers, and 96% of her 3-point makes were assisted. When Clark signed, the team still had Riquna Williams under contract. Williams, who provided firepower off the bench in the 2022 WNBA Finals, was recovering from a back injury. But Williams ended up in the news for domestic violence charges and missed the entire 2023 season (the charges against Williams were ultimately dropped). Combined with the Parker injury, this led to Clark playing a much bigger role than initially expected. 

In acquiring Allen, the Aces would gain a shooter and defender. Allen and Clark both fit the 3&D mold that is crucial for many teams. They also gain some size in the 6-foot-2 Allen. Depth is also something the Aces should look to acquire heading into next season. Parker’s injury stretched the Aces’ frontcourt thin. Then, there was the scare of losing the “Point Gawd,” Chelsea Gray, and Kiah Stokes for Game 4 of the WNBA Finals. Clark and Cayla George ended up playing more minutes while divvying up frontcourt duties. Although Vegas escaped with a narrow 70-69 Finals win in Game 4, leaving their overall depth up to chance again may not produce the same result. 

New York Liberty

Defense is also the theme here. 

As mentioned in the Jordin Canada: Offseason Opportunities article, general manager Jonathan Kolb alluded to trying to improve the team’s defense off the bench, especially in the guard spots. Coming off the bench and providing defense is a role Allen is quite familiar with. In five of her seven seasons with the Liberty, Allen came off the bench in over 75% of the team’s games, though she saw more starting appearances in 2021 and 2022. 

New York already has a solid defensive wing that can knock down 3-pointers in Kayla Thornton. She was included in the three-team deal that sent Allen to Connecticut. If New York can find a way to bring Allen on board without sacrificing key members, New York would improve its defensive depth. The Liberty also set a single-season record for 3-pointers made per game last season at 11.1. With Allen’s range, there is an offensive fit as well. 

The biggest hurdle in bringing Allen back to New York is cap space. Currently, the Liberty have $703,803 in cap space. Most of it will be used in keeping Breanna Stewart, who will be cored, and Jonquel Jones. Cap space after that is expected to be very tight, and the thought of bringing back Stefanie Dolson and Jocelyn Willoughby or what happens with Marine Johannès and Han Xu (as prioritization will now affect them) has not yet been discussed. 

Indiana Fever

You may be wondering, why Indiana?

After three tumultuous seasons that saw Indiana go a combined 17-73, the Fever managed to register their first double-digit win season and highest net rating season since 2019. Plus, with Aliyah Boston, NaLyssa Smith, and the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, things are looking up for Indiana. Last season, Indiana showed that they could remain competitive in games. They had two games against the eventual champion Aces where the margin of defeat was less than 10 points. Indiana also took eventual Finals runner-up New York to overtime on July 12. 

As Indiana has shown the potential to hang around in games, the next stage in its progression is to secure wins and make a playoff push. But, to make the playoffs, teams need the right pieces. One thing for Indiana to improve upon is its 3-point shooting. The Fever were 10th in makes and attempts. Out of Indiana’s players who started more than 10 games, the only player to shoot at least 33% from long range was Kelsey Mitchell. Although the team had one of the top-10 shot blockers in the league in Boston, Indiana ranked 10th in total blocks. Knocking down threes and swatting shots is Allen’s forte.

The last point that makes Allen a fit with Indiana: effectiveness without the ball in her hands. Allen’s defensive abilities and spot-up 3 point-shooting will be key for a team whose wing presence could use drastic improvement. Iowa phenom point guard Caitlin Clark is currently projected by most to be selected first overall this year. By default, Clark needs the ball in her hands to make plays. As Smith and Boston continue to establish their greatness, they will also need their fair share of touches. Then there’s Mitchell who is under contract in 2024. Their leading scorer and shot taker in 2023, 47% of Mitchell’s makes were unassisted. That all means the ball was in her hands quite a bit as well. So, Indiana will need players who can be effective without a large share of touches. Eighty-four percent of Allen’s made field goals last year were assisted on. 

Indiana currently has $470,259 in cap space to revamp the roster this offseason. But unlike a team like Vegas that has to fill at least five spots, Indiana only has to fill at least two. That is more than enough to try and entice Allen from other suitors. It is also enough to bring others on board who could be pertinent to the Fever’s next chapter. 

Washington Mystics

The Mystics are looking to try and regroup after injuries hampered their 2023 campaign. Although they made the playoffs, they were swept in the opening round by New York. 

Washington, when healthy, has a defensive juggernaut: 

• 2022 All-Defensive First Team members, Natasha Cloud and Ariel Atkins

• Two-time steals leader and four-time All-Defensive team selection, Brittney Sykes

• Elena Delle Donne, who is 18th all-time in career blocks

• Shakira Austin, who as a rookie, ranked top 5 in the W in defensive rating and defensive win shares

• Queen Egbo, who ranked fifth in total blocks in 2022 as a rookie with Indiana

Adding on a lengthy defender who can defend multiple positions and block shots could be the extra defensive juice Washington needs in the upcoming season. Also, with Allen’s size, they have options. Their preferred starting lineup from point guard to small forward consists of 5-foot-10 Cloud, 5-foot-8 Atkins, and 5-foot-9 Sykes. If they want to experiment with bigger lineups, they can opt for Allen at either the shooting guard or small forward spot. But, I would be remiss in leaving out that Cloud and Delle Donne are also unrestricted free agents this offseason, so there is a chance both could leave. But if both are willing to return on team-friendly deals, then Washington is in a good spot. 

Allen, a competent shooter from distance, would be a welcome addition to a franchise that ranked seventh in 3-point percentage last season and struggled from beyond the arc in its sweep versus New York. The addition of Allen would not only provide Washington with defensive depth, but also wing shooting depth with Allen and Li Meng (if the Mystics retain Li). A fully healthy Mystics team could field a lineup with the 6-foot-2 Allen, the 6-foot Meng, and the 6-foot-5 Delle Donne, giving them size and shooting on the floor.  

Free agency is quickly approaching. For Bec Allen, there should be multiple teams interested in her if she decides to leave Connecticut. There are teams loaded with space and talent but are missing a player who can help unlock another level, and that could be Allen. 

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