MOCK DRAFT UPDATE: With the second pick in the Swish Appeal Community Mock Draft, the Tulsa Shock selected Elizabeth Williams of Duke. In fact, it was a really close race!
Sara Hammond of Louisville has been added to our Draft Poll to replace Williams, and we've also added a "someone else" option. If you vote this option, please specify which player you are voting for in the comments.
We now head back to pick #3 where the Seattle Storm is on the clock again. As this Draft goes on, some of our community members will be chipping in with their analysis. Today, Cdavenport will give you his.
Synopsis
You are Alisha Valavanis, the President and General Manager of the Seattle Storm. With the first pick in the draft, you selected Reshanda Gray of Cal. She is a strong low post threat who brings much-needed size and depth to the front court. But now, what do you do with the third pick? Do you select another big, look to add depth and versatility at small forward or do you select a lead guard who could eventually replace Sue Bird?
Depth chart after adding Reshanda Gray
With Gray now donning green and gold, here's what the lineup may look like assuming you make no other moves:
Starter | Backup | Backup #2 | |
G | Renee Montgomey | Meighan Simmons | |
G | Sue Bird | Jenna O'Hea | |
F | Alysha Clark | Abby Bishop | |
F | Reshanda Gray | Quanitra Hollingsworth | |
C | Crystal Langhorne | Angel Robinson | Waltiea Rolle |
Primary Weaknesses: Lack of wing players and backcourt depth
While Seattle needs to add depth at nearly every position, the Storm has two glaring weaknesses left after the addition of Gray.
First, they don’t have a legitimate starter on the wing. Alysha Clark is one of the hardest working players in the WNBA. Her defensive tenacity and overall intensity are invaluable to the Storm. However, she lacks the offensive skills necessary to be a full-time starter on a team that is so lacking in perimeter scoring.
Jenna O’Hea is one of the best long-range shooters in the world. But her inability to create her shot off the dribble leaves her limited offensively, and her below average foot speed make her a liability defensively,
Second, the Storm lacks depth and versatility in the backcourt. While Bird is now rested and rumored to be in her best shape since 2010, she is currently the only true point guard on the roster. The addition of Renee Montgomery gives Seattle a legitimate scoring threat besides Bird in the backcourt for the first time since Betty Lennox. However, Montgomery's lack of size could be a huge disadvantage on defense. It will be the case if Bird and Montgomery are paired together and matched against a larger backcourt such as that of Phoenix or Minnesota.
Which players could be a good fit for the Storm at the #3 spot?
The players who best fit Seattle’s needs that are still on the board are (in no particular order) Brittany Boyd, Samantha Logic, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Aleighsa Welch, Dearica Hamby and Crystal Bradford.
Also still available is Isabel Harrison, who, despite likely being out injured for all of 2015, could prove to be a very skilled post player in the long run. Yes, I get that the Storm now has a front court that has a two-time All-Star, a reigning Australian MVP and the current PAC-12 player of the year. However, it could be difficult to pass on adding the versatility that Harrison could potentially bring.
Ultimately, it all comes down to which player has the most potential to impact the team long-term. Boyd or Logic could become the franchise point guard for the next 12 seasons. Mosqueda-Lewis and Welch have the potential to be elite wing players. Mosqueda-Lewis has the potential to be one of the best perimeter shooters of all time while Welch could be a defensive stopper with the ability to attack the rim.
Hamby and Bradford are the two most versatile players in the draft. Hamby can stay in front of guards on defense, score against double teams in the paint and hit open shots out to the three-point line. Bradford has strong perimeter skills, the size and length of a small forward and shot blocking ability of a post player.
The choice is yours Swish Appeal readers. If you were Alisha Valavanis, who would you pick?
POLLING CLOSES AT 3 P.M. EASTERN TIME ON SATURDAY, MARCH 28! On Monday, we will see what the Connecticut Sun will do at pick number 4 in the Community Mock Draft. Also, feel free to say which player we should add to our poll in our next Draft post in the comments.