I’d ask myself this question:

1. Can I realistically keep this roster in championship contention over the next two or three years and have little possibility of losing in the first round?

The answer is no. Sure, Bird and Jackson won two ships, but they’re not getting younger, and to be brutally honest, the Storm duo was disappointing in the post season because they should have won more playoff rounds to be honest with you. Jackson is an injury risk and it has showed over the course of the last two or three years. Sue Bird is not getting any younger either. The Storm must rebuild sooner or later and start over and it is possible that the team may have decided to do as tough as it sounds.

What I will say from here sounds very outside the box, because I’m in the minority and most Storm fans find it totally unthinkable about a team without Sue and Lauren, but I think rebuilding and blowing it all up is worth the short term price because of the 2013 draft.

The Storm must prepare for a new period of 2010’s dominance. I am confident that Seattle can do this because the city will remain an attractive destination because the fanbase is great to the team, and ownership is committed, unlike some other teams in the WNBA. To do so, the goal is to get in a position to grab a star or two in the coveted 2013 draft, and those players are going to have more long term value than any guy on the team right now. The Storm will take a step back regardless by picking up the #2 draft pick this year and letting go of two important players in Cash and Willingham and even if Jackson comes back this year, it’s not like I expect them to win it all.

Because of the Cash trade for a draft pick in a weak draft, the big question is what to do with Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson. In the long term, they’re gonna age, and they won’t win like before when there’s a lack of new blood coming in through the draft. For now, Jackson has to stay because no team wants a player for half a season if at all, unless Seattle gets the Corleone offer today. Sue will be a tradeable asset for a 2013 first round pick (and possibly more) from any team in the WNBA not named Minnesota, Connecticut, and Chicago, and who knows, maybe every team will give up a 2013 draft pick for her. I know Seattle fans will rip me for putting it in writing, but Sue’s trade value only drops from today. If Seattle says that Sue should go somewhere else, they have to wonder if she alone could carry another WNBA team to a top seed in the playoffs which would hurt the draft pick in return in addition to the Storm’s 2013 draft pick which is untradeable. Therefore, it is imperative any Sue Bird deal result in a draft pick plus a decent rotation player from the other team so the chances of Sue carrying another team is minimized, and it is more advantageous for Seattle if Sue gets traded to a team expected to suck anyway in 2012 after a trade is made and includes other players from the other team.

A significant factor about the decision to rebuild now involves Delle Donne and what she does after this season. If Delaware goes far in the NCAA’s this year (possible), then will she declare early because she is now four years out of college? If so, then great chance she is picked #1 and then Storm has its pick on the rest of the post players available who may be decent players down the road, though I don’t see any Lauren Jacksons or Sylvia Fowleses or sleepers like the Danielle Adamses and Langhornes in this class. Or will LA decide to pick someone else like Ogwumike? If Delle Donne leaves early and LA is stupid enough to pass up on Delle Donne, then the Storm just found its LJ replacement and then they can keep Sue Bird which is a HUGE win!

Sorry for rambling, but the Storm should tank 2012, get a great draft pick for 2013 (possibly Griner or Diggins) with its own pick (or maybe from the other team if a trade is made), and hopefully get more assets for 2013 by trading Sue Bird now and in the latter half of the season, Lauren Jackson to other teams, and get back more draft picks and/or rotation players who may pan out. This would add some more excitement to the 2012 WNBA season overall because Bird got traded to another team if my “blow it up” theory becomes a reality, though unfortunately for the Storm, it will likely be a bad team in the W’s and L’s. Seattle can worry about adding veteran pieces later, as they complement the foundation rather than act as a part of the team.

My two cents here…..

Swin Cash denies that she requested a trade. I don’t see her wanting out of Seattle and agree.

“…better to trade someone too early than to trade them too late.” That applies to Ms. Cash, as well as Ms. Bird and Ms. Jackson, and I concur with Mr. TheWiz06.

It is hard for any team to get two players who can equal Cash and Willingham.

Is Katie Smith coming back? I know that Cash did not like playing with Smith and was probably not happy when the Storm signed her.