Great analysis of the issues with defense ... there's really no way to decide. After all, Elizabeth Williams could have been the best and how would we know?
For me, the rookie eye test favors Grace Berger. She just looks like a WNBA player. And of course, I'll beat my drum about the lack of talent flowing into the league. One or two quality players a year is not enough to replenish rosters, much less stock expansion teams.
And finally, why the W won't give you a vote is beyond me. Too many writers "covering" the league have no background in the game overall or the women's side. But then again, we've learned to expect incompetence from the league office.
To me, the most impressive move made by Jonathan Kolb was the Onyenwere trade. There was a good chance Mic wouldn't even make the team. To be able to get back a 2nd Round pick, Leonie Fiebich, and the right to swap 1st Round picks with Phoenix in 2025 was an incredible return. There's a good chance Phoenix will be lottery bound again next season, and the 2025 draft could be loaded depending on who stays in school.
I'll be honest - by that stage in the article my energy may have been waning a little, or I'd have gone into details like that as well ;). Yes, even beyond the basics of getting the stars to town (and being lucky enough to get the #1 in Ionescu's year), he's maximised a bunch of the fringe deals. He got Thornton in a deal that was already netting Jonquel Jones; that Merc swap could be huge (and Fiebich is good too, by the way, if she ever shows), stuff like that. Obviously there are huge benefits to being in New York and working with Tsai's money, but you still have to do the rest right.
Not an awful lot in All-Rookie teams, no. Because most of these rookies are playing 15mpg at the absolute most, so not having a huge impact on winning or losing anyway. A lot of years, it'll basically end up being the five who got to play the most. It's hard to look great in eight minutes per game (and if you did, you'd probably be playing more than eight).
Great analysis of the issues with defense ... there's really no way to decide. After all, Elizabeth Williams could have been the best and how would we know?
For me, the rookie eye test favors Grace Berger. She just looks like a WNBA player. And of course, I'll beat my drum about the lack of talent flowing into the league. One or two quality players a year is not enough to replenish rosters, much less stock expansion teams.
And finally, why the W won't give you a vote is beyond me. Too many writers "covering" the league have no background in the game overall or the women's side. But then again, we've learned to expect incompetence from the league office.
Thanks for another great article. Why you don’t have an official vote is ridiculous.
Great work here!
To me, the most impressive move made by Jonathan Kolb was the Onyenwere trade. There was a good chance Mic wouldn't even make the team. To be able to get back a 2nd Round pick, Leonie Fiebich, and the right to swap 1st Round picks with Phoenix in 2025 was an incredible return. There's a good chance Phoenix will be lottery bound again next season, and the 2025 draft could be loaded depending on who stays in school.
I'll be honest - by that stage in the article my energy may have been waning a little, or I'd have gone into details like that as well ;). Yes, even beyond the basics of getting the stars to town (and being lucky enough to get the #1 in Ionescu's year), he's maximised a bunch of the fringe deals. He got Thornton in a deal that was already netting Jonquel Jones; that Merc swap could be huge (and Fiebich is good too, by the way, if she ever shows), stuff like that. Obviously there are huge benefits to being in New York and working with Tsai's money, but you still have to do the rest right.
3 of the 5 players on your all rookie team didn’t make the playoffs. Winning must not matter…
Not an awful lot in All-Rookie teams, no. Because most of these rookies are playing 15mpg at the absolute most, so not having a huge impact on winning or losing anyway. A lot of years, it'll basically end up being the five who got to play the most. It's hard to look great in eight minutes per game (and if you did, you'd probably be playing more than eight).