Los Angeles Sparks Sign Coco Miller To Fill Ball Handling Need

The Los Angeles Sparks have announced the signing of guard Coco Miller to replace the recently-released Sharnee Zoll. This isn't a particularly splashy signing, but does give the Sparks a much-needed ball handler.

"We had a need for an additional guard," Sparks Head Coach Carol Ross said in a release. "Miller's ball handling skills and experience in this league will help fill that vacancy."

Although Miller was by no means a true distributor for the Atlanta Dream last season, she was less turnover prone (9.92% turnover ratio) than anybody on the current Sparks roster last season and had a better pure point rating (-0.43 PPR) than their current point guard, Kristi Toliver (-0.53 in 2011, -2.91 through 6 games in 2012). It's also worth noting that during the Dream's 2010 playoff run, it was Miller starting at point in place of Shalee Lehning and Dream coach Marynell Meadors said at the time that the move was actually for defense moreso than offense.

Turnovers aren't at all the chief problem for the Sparks - opponents' shooting efficiency has arguably been the most significant problem - but they haven't been a particularly high synergy team this season and adding another ball handler could help them establish greater offensive continuity.

For more on this story, see the original report by Lee Michaelson of Full Court Press.