Swish Appeal - Every WNBA team’s to-do list prior to the 2021 seasonBasketball is basketball.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49391/swish-fave.png2020-10-31T12:00:00-04:00http://www.swishappeal.com/rss/stream/212908032020-10-31T12:00:00-04:002020-10-31T12:00:00-04:00Washington Mystics’ No. 1 offseason goal: Reintegrate star players
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<img alt="New York Liberty v Washington Mystics" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/U_Bx4nxySXVK9WaGpU2QmwDgk_s=/0x505:2211x1979/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67719336/1164572867.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Will we get the opportunity to watch MVPs Elena Delle Donne and Tina Charles suit up for the same team in 2021? | Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Washington Mystics never got a chance to defend their 2019 title, losing a significant part of their roster before even arriving at the Bradenton bubble. Theoretically, they’ll be able to bring most of those players back for 2021, but it won’t be easy.</p> <p id="mrtDTw">After a thrilling and unprecedented bubble season in 2020, <em>Swish Appeal</em> has decided to examine what each WNBA team needs the most heading into what will hopefully be a more normal 2021 season. Here’s a look at what the Washington Mystics need to do this offseason:</p>
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<p id="TAl5w9">The Mystics put together arguably the <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/teams/advanced/?sort=OFF_RATING&dir=-1&Season=2019&SeasonType=Regular%20Season">greatest offensive performance</a> in WNBA history in 2019, fielding a roster full of shooters and multi-talented offensive skillsets and overwhelming opponents en route to the first championship in franchise history. Elena Delle Donne earned league MVP honors after a historically efficient scoring season, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. Washington surrounded Delle Donne with an abundance of shooting (Emma Meesseman, Kristi Toliver, Tianna Hawkins, Aerial Powers) and defensive versatility (Natasha Cloud, Ariel Atkins, LaToya Sanders), forming what looked to be a dynasty in the making.</p>
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<img alt="WNBA Finals Portraits" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/T4qbVzB5RYuUZqLjschNAVn-Ebo=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21990529/1175240232.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Elena Delle Donne (left) and Emma Meesseman (right) formed a frontcourt with enviable amounts of skill in 2019. Head coach Mike Thibault will no doubt try his hardest to bring both players back for 2021.</figcaption>
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<p id="HUXe3w">One tumultuous offseason later, the 2020 Mystics barely resembled the squad that rolled to the WNBA championship just months prior. Both Delle Donne and the newly-acquired Tina Charles <a href="https://mystics.wnba.com/news/charles-delle-donne-in-medical-protocol/">sought medical exemptions</a>, citing preexisting conditions that would put them at greater risk of contracting COVID-19. Meanwhile, Cloud and Sanders <a href="https://mystics.wnba.com/news/cloud-sanders-to-opt-out-of-2020-season/">opted out of the season</a>, and <a href="https://sparks.wnba.com/news/sparks-sign-kristi-toliver/">Toliver left for the Los Angeles Sparks</a> in free agency.</p>
<p id="vMPisY">With nearly their entire starting lineup missing, the Mystics got off to a better-than-expected 3-0 start but lost 13 of their next 14 as their lack of depth caught up to them and other teams adjusted. While Washington was still able to sneak into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed — and was a <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/peddy-makes-buzzer-beating-3-phoenix-advances-in-playoffs-september-15-2020/">Shey Peddy buzzer-beater</a> away from advancing to the second round — it was never a team that had a realistic chance at competing for a title — a far cry from the air of inevitability surrounding the team’s 2019 title.</p>
<p id="LIw7py">The Mystics will have a shot at returning to contention in 2021, assuming the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided to a point where players feel comfortable playing again, of course. But it’s going to take quite the effort from head coach and general manager Mike Thibault to get the band back together. And, even then, he might have to make some concessions.</p>
<h2 id="xcmbG5"><strong>Can Washington fit enough pieces together for 2021?</strong></h2>
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<img alt="Las Vegas Aces v Washington Mystics - Game Two" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/f0IHzuE_ELKWjlKwEPkkfAnbQfE=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22003047/1169636060.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>LaToya Sanders’ defensive versatility and playmaking made her an invaluable asset to the 2019 Mystics. She’s just one of many players they’ll have to make a decision on for 2021.</figcaption>
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<p id="E3HKKR">While the Mystics are far from the only championship-caliber WNBA team facing big decisions entering the offseason, they may have even more hoops to jump through than rivals like the <a href="https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2020/10/26/21527574/wnba-los-angeles-sparks-offseason-free-agent-candace-parker-nneka-ogwumike-chelsea-gray-derek-fisher">Los Angeles Sparks</a> or <a href="https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2020/10/22/21525327/wnba-connecticut-sun-offseason-goal-offense-jonquel-jones-dewanna-bonner-alyssa-thomas-curt-miller">Connecticut Sun</a>.</p>
<p id="j1guA1">Per <em>The Next</em>’s <a href="https://thenext.substack.com/p/the-next-presents-your-2020-wnba">WNBA salary database</a>, Washington has just five players under contract heading into 2021, with Meesseman, Sanders, Charles, Cloud, Hawkins and Powers all currently free agents. While Cloud and Sanders are “Suspended-Contract Expired” players (meaning that Washington owns their exclusive negotiating rights), the rest are unrestricted free agents who will immediately be free to sign with any team.</p>
<p id="VmIgDS">That’s a lot of negotiating, and it’s going to be difficult for Thibault to retain all of those players and stay under the WNBA’s salary cap. As explained by <em>Her Hoop Stats</em>’ <a href="https://herhoopstats.substack.com/p/2020-reflections-and-2021-forecasts-7fe">Richard Cohen</a>, Powers in particular is likely to draw significant interest from other teams, while Meesseman has incentive to skip the 2021 season due to international commitments. Even Sanders, who has been Washington’s defensive fulcrum for years now, isn’t a sure bet to return. She’ll be 34 years old next year and with Myisha Hines-Allen breaking out in 2020, Thibault may have to consider saving that money to keep the younger player. Factor in Charles — a former MVP who is likely to command a significant paycheck herself — and things get crowded quickly, both on the court and in the books.</p>
<p id="k7y8G3">Even if the Mystics can only keep <em>some</em> of their free agents instead of <em>all</em> of them, the star power of Delle Donne and glut of talent elsewhere on the team’s roster will almost certainly have them in contention in 2021. There’s a difference, though, between “contender” and “favorite,” and Thibault has his work cut out for him if the Mystics are to once again be the latter.</p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2020/10/31/21535167/wnba-washington-mystics-latoya-sanders-elena-delle-donne-natasha-cloud-tina-charles-mike-thibaultEric Nemchock2020-10-30T13:00:00-04:002020-10-30T13:00:00-04:00Seattle Storm’s No. 1 offseason goal: Dynasty now vs. down payment on the future?
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<figcaption>Is the future for Jordin Canada (facing) now? Or will the Seattle Storm guard have to wait another year to be handed the reins? | Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Two championships in three seasons is an achievement for any sport. For the 2020 WNBA champion Seattle Storm, a quest for a third title in four seasons — a franchise fifth overall — comes with downsides. Will Seattle plan for the future in 2021 or cement its legacy of the past? </p> <p id="2bMJr8">The Seattle Storm go as Sue Bird’s balky knee goes. At least, that was the take on the team’s potential to win the 2020 WNBA Championship — which they did, in dominant, undefeated fashion. Digging deeper, however, it’s not so much about Bird’s knee as it is about the team’s immediate goals and future plans. </p>
<p id="MBUAiF">Will the Storm keep the roster intact in 2021 and try to repeat for the title, giving the franchise its third trophy in four seasons and fifth overall? Or will they begin to push 40-year-old Bird into the background for the sake of developing younger talent in a bid for future success?</p>
<p id="T5iVax">Before diving into the factors that will influence whichever path Seattle chooses, it is first important to examine how the Storm won it all in 2020. Simply put, the depth of talent proved to be too much for the other teams in the league with the return of Bird (knee) and Breanna Stewart (Achilles) from injuries that kept them sidelined in 2019. The Storm also were helped by the depleted rosters of competing squads — and they seized. But their road to a repeat might be a little bumpier in 2021 when the rosters for the rest of the league are whole. How might Seattle fair, for example, against the Washington Mystics, who won the title last year, when that franchise returns Natasha Cloud and Elena Delle Donne and debut Tina Charles? </p>
<p id="enSyQv">Like any Hall of Fame-bound point guard, Bird can manipulate the offense in ways that oftentimes belie opposing defenses. Having her on the court, balky knee and all, gives her team a chance to win. But keeping her for 2021 comes with risks for the team’s future success. Should Seattle try to win it all now and deal with the future later? Or should it invest in the future now, but with <em>hope</em> for success in 2021?</p>
<p id="2wMYYQ">This offseason, the Storm must pick one of the following two poisons:</p>
<h2 id="m0NXlF"><strong>Poison #1: Make a down payment on future success</strong></h2>
<p id="QXdSiz">If given the reins again in 2021, Jordin Canada can build on the greatness she flashed during the 2019 season when Bird and Stewart were out with injury. To do this, Bird perhaps would need to start in limited minutes and surrender the bulk of the position to Canada, or she’d have to come off the bench, still with minutes reduced enough to allow Canada a chance to develop and thrive. But this will only be possible if Bird, <a href="https://herhoopstats.substack.com/p/2021-wnba-free-agency-list">a free agent</a>, is willing to re-up for the same contract she has now or take a pay cut that will enable the team to keep other, younger players who also have been integral to the team’s success.</p>
<p id="IUBAC2">Joining Bird in unrestricted free agency are two players who shape the team’s foundation on defense and who helped the Storm to their 2018 and 2020 trophies: Alysha Clark (age 33) and Natasha Howard (age 29). Clark in 2020 was the sole unanimous addition to the WNBA All-Defense Team — an apropos honor for a player nicknamed “The Eraser.” In 2019, Howard was named WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. </p>
<p id="888Q9j">Clark displayed keen offensive powers in 2020, coming up with a game-winning shot in the playoffs and putting on sharpshooting clinics from beyond the arc. In other words, she has made herself invaluable to the team and more than earned the biggest contract allowed under the new CBA. Howard’s 2020 performance impressed less; with Stewart back in the lineup, at times there appeared to be a redundancy of duties, with Stewart — already on track to be considered one of the best to ever play the game — delivering with more consistency and efficiency than her teammate. So, if the Storm must settle for one of these defensive-minded players, it is most likely to be Clark over Howard. </p>
<p id="C1M620">As a committed offense-stopper, Clark should expect to field offers from teams seeking to shore up their play on that side of the ball. To keep her, the Storm will need to come up with a big payday and that may only be possible by cutting ties with Howard and moving on from Epiphanny Prince, who also is a free agent, if the goal is to keep Bird in a lesser role, perhaps coming off the bench. </p>
<p id="dDlk4X">Of course, a full investment in the future would mean not signing Bird to another contract at all. With her having played her whole career in Seattle, it is easier to envision her retiring rather than signing with another team. With all she has done for the Storm, the city of Seattle, the WNBA and women’s basketball generally, it is hard to imagine the franchise’s decision-makers will put Bird in that position. When it is time for Bird to retire, the decision will be hers alone. </p>
<p id="HU164z">And although the Storm proved in the playoffs they can win without 3-point threat Sami Whitcomb, Whitcomb’s contributions off the bench have been vital to the team’s growing identity as a team that succeeds on scoring blitzes. If Jewell Loyd or Stewart have an off night, Whitcomb can be relied upon to pick up the scoring needs in spurts off the bench that demoralize opponents. She is a restricted free agent and the Storm should do what they can to keep her. </p>
<h2 id="D4kAhk"><strong>Poison #2: Strive for a Bird-Stewart-era dynasty </strong></h2>
<p id="JLyOzE">Storm Crazies will not be pleased to hear it, but their favorite team in the Emerald City is not a dynasty. That designation belongs to the Houston Comets, who won four titles in a row between 1997 and 2000, and the Minnesota Lynx, who won four championships in six seasons (2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017). Although the Storm have won four championships, they won them across decades: 2004 and 2010 (the Bird-Lauren Jackson era) and 2018 and 2020 (the Bird-Stewart era). </p>
<p id="3ZJQR3">To make it a dynasty, which <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dynasty">Merriam-Webster defines</a> as “a powerful group or family that maintains its position for a considerable time,” the Storm need to win another title. </p>
<p id="rWvaWD">This further definition of “sports dynasties” better explains why — the Storm lack “a prolonged run” of title seasons:</p>
<blockquote><p id="0czSwS"><em>Dynasty has been in use in English for over 600 years, for most of that time referring to a ruling family that maintains power through succession. Around the beginning of the 19th century, the word developed the figurative sense “a group or family that dominates a particular field for generations.” Nowadays, this sense of dynasty is often applied to a sports franchise which has a prolonged run of successful seasons. The sports use appears to have begun in the early 20th century. An article in The Washington Post in 1905 refers to “John T. Brush’s baseball dynasty,” and by 1912 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that “if players were free agents at the end of every two years, baseball dynasties such as those built up by the Cubs, Athletics, Detroits and Giants would not be possible.”</em></p></blockquote>
<p id="CpUyUW">The chance of the Storm attaining dynastic status is more likely with Bird in the mix, no matter the role, and winning a franchise-fifth championship would cement her individual legacy as well. With Bird or without her, the Storm have a chance to ascend in 2021. But sticking with Bird at the expense of developing the next generation of Storm champions could cost the team titles for seasons to come. </p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2020/10/30/21518375/wnba-seattle-storm-dynasty-quest-sue-bird-breanna-stewart-alysha-clark-natasha-howard-sami-whitcombTamryn Spruill2020-10-29T14:00:00-04:002020-10-29T14:00:00-04:00Phoenix Mercury’s No. 1 offseason goal: Install a new operating system
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<img alt="Dallas Wings v Phoenix Mercury" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kNcI8g0mU5QzRVe2VS3n2uHGeBA=/1025x152:4839x2695/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67709328/1228070491.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Do the Phoenix Mercury need a new head coach to maximize their “Big Three” of Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Skylar Diggins-Smith? | Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>For the second season in a row, the Phoenix Mercury failed to meet expectations. How can the organization ensure that 2021 has a better outcome? The “Big Three” of Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Skylar Diggins-Smith remains a solid foundation, but their talents must be better optimized. </p> <p id="ucWjg1">After a thrilling and unprecedented bubble season in 2020, <em>Swish Appeal </em>has decided to examine what each WNBA team needs the most heading into what will hopefully be a more normal 2021 season. Here’s a look at what the Phoenix Mercury need to do this offseason:</p>
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<p id="3K03NJ">Let’s imagine that the Phoenix Mercury are a computer. </p>
<p id="GFL1da">Their hardware, while imperfect, is still in excellent condition. The organization can claim three top-tier WNBA talents in Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Skylar Diggins-Smith. They also have an emerging elite defensive disruptor in Brianna Turner and the super-solid and still-improving Bria Hartley.</p>
<p id="40Za2A">However, Phoenix’s software has not been functioning optimally. Even after refreshing their “Big Three” — with Skylar Diggins-Smith replacing DeWanna Bonner — the character and course of their 2020 season did not change much. Just like in 2019, an uneven regular season lead to another early playoff exit. While the organization dealt with injuries and absences in both seasons, concerns about the Mercury’s software go beyond these missing parts. </p>
<p id="yGqOj3">In particular, Phoenix began to play <em>better</em> in 2020 once two key contributors — Griner and Hartley — were out of the lineup for the season.</p>
<p id="oPwjMI">So, how can Phoenix maximize its machine and achieve a better outcome in 2021?</p>
<h2 id="BOv0Wu"><strong>Phoenix’s fantastic hardware</strong></h2>
<p id="bHj2vE">In her 16th WNBA season, Diana Taurasi proved she is still an efficient offensive engine, weaponizing her aggressive 3-point shooting to a nearly unprecedented, highly-effective degree. As long as she remains injury free, Taurasi, who is an unrestricted free agent, will be expected to put up similar offensive statistics in 2021, making her an All-WNBA caliber player even if her activity and attentiveness on defense continue to wane. </p>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/me6fs8FjcT">pic.twitter.com/me6fs8FjcT</a></p>— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) <a href="https://twitter.com/PhoenixMercury/status/1312848929713651712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2020</a>
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<p id="kt27EZ">Presuming she returns to the WNBA, Brittney Griner will remain one of the game’s most dominant players. Although she is not always intently engaged, her physical presence makes her a force to be reckoned with on both ends of the floor. </p>
<p id="n14r1D">And Skylar Diggins-Smith, in her first season in the Valley, posted the most efficient scoring season of her career, taking advantage of an improved pull-up jumper to establish herself as one of the league’s best pick-and-roll operators. As with Taurasi, Diggins-Smith’s defense leaves something to be desired. As offensive tandem, however, the two have the firepower to outscore almost any opponent. </p>
<p id="okWzEA">Brianna Turner’s ascendance in the second half of the season introduces the possibility of a defensive identity to the Mercury. With Griner gone, Turner became the anchor, serving this role with a level aggression, energy and intelligence that Phoenix has lacked on the defensive end of the floor. On offense, Turner showed she can function as a bouncy pick-and-roll partner and play-finisher. </p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
<p lang="und" dir="ltr">Our <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DPOY?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DPOY</a> ️ <a href="https://t.co/XhrCQDXc7G">pic.twitter.com/XhrCQDXc7G</a></p>— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) <a href="https://twitter.com/PhoenixMercury/status/1311018299103223809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2020</a>
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<p id="0JXImn">As long as she fully recovers from her ACL injury, Bria Hartley should continue to provide offensive pop, playing on or off the ball — either off the bench or in the starting lineup. </p>
<p id="0Dkaop">The Mercury’s reserves also are solid WNBA rotation players. Alanna Smith entices as a stretch big and Sophie Cunningham offers unrelenting intensity. Albeit in somewhat limited and inconsistent minutes in their first seasons in Phoenix, restricted free agents Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and Nia Coffey showed their value, with Walker-Kimbrough impressing as a microwave scorer and Coffey beginning to put together her diverse skill set. </p>
<p id="qcYo8s">Nevertheless, when the Mercury were whole during the 2020 season, this roster was muddling through a rather uninspiring regular season, hovering just above .500. Yet, even if <a href="https://herhoopstats.substack.com/p/2020-reflections-and-2021-forecasts-058">salary cap constraints</a> were not preventing the organization from making significant roster upgrades, it is clear that the hardware is not the problem in Phoenix. </p>
<p id="VNwUWA">The Mercury need a new operating system. </p>
<h2 id="0A48ys"><strong>Phoenix’s underperforming software</strong></h2>
<p id="XO9YaH">The easiest (at least, theoretically) way to enhance Phoenix’s software is to install a new head coach. </p>
<p id="1mTOBt">However, Sandy Brondello has established herself as a WNBA institution. </p>
<p id="VpgeyU">In 2021, Brondello will enter her ninth season as a head coach. In 2010, she spent one season at the helm of the San Antonio Silver Stars. Four seasons later, the Mercury put her at the head of their bench, and she immediately led the team to a title. In the six seasons since, the Mercury have been a perennial playoff team, advancing to the Western Conference Finals or WNBA Semifinals in the 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons. </p>
<p id="rHrdby">Before stalking the sidelines, Brondello made her mark on the hardwood. During her five-year WNBA career (1998-2003), she played for the Detroit Shock, Miami Sol and Seattle Storm, earning an All-Star nod in 1999 with the Shock. </p>
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<img alt="Brondello drives upcourt" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/brpYzF6UrFJNSG3VwX3TCez0H9o=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21994908/794252.jpg">
<cite>Photo by: Victor Baldizon/WNBAE/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Sandy Brondello, 2002.</figcaption>
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<p id="sNxdxN">It also is relevant to note that Brondello is one of only four women coaches in the WNBA. A native of Australia, she also is the league’s only international coach. </p>
<p id="tluLTY">In short, Brondello has brought, and can still bring, a lot to the WNBA. But, it is worth asking if her time in Phoenix has run its course. </p>
<p id="kZGzot">In 2019 and 2020, Brondello was unable to push the right buttons. Possibly, her ideas no longer resonate with her veteran-laden team. A lack of urgency on the defensive end, along with general inconsistency, strongly indicate that this may be the case. A new voice could encourage a reinvigorated commitment on both ends of the floor by re-instilling defensive principles and refining the offensive system. </p>
<p id="Yk5qXX">Because of her resume, it is hard to argue that Brondello “deserves” to be fired. Yet, based on the on-court evidence from the most recent seasons, it also is hard to say that Brondello is the still the right coach for the Mercury. </p>
<p id="2fehol">With the clock ticking on Diana Taurasi’s career, there is no time for Phoenix to risk another subpar regular season and too-short postseason. They need an upgrade — someone who can install the new software necessary to get Phoenix’s hardware humming at maximum capacity. </p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2020/10/29/21536455/wnba-phoenix-mercury-offseason-diana-taurasi-brittney-griner-skylar-diggins-smith-sandy-brondelloCat Ariail2020-10-28T11:00:00-04:002020-10-28T11:00:00-04:00New York Liberty’s No. 1 offseason goal: Adjust 3-point strategy
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<img alt="New York Liberty v Indiana Fever" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-NabFPBSRbSuPvFEpKVgXuKrCrI=/272x146:2209x1437/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67701715/1228445487.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kia Nurse was an All-Star in 2019 but struggled from beyond the arc in 2020. | Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Sabrina Ionescu, Asia Durr and Rebecca Allen all can shoot the three and the New York Liberty could have all of them back in 2021. But can these talents support the analytics-driven strategy of high-volume 3-point shooting imposed by head coach Walt Hopkins?</p> <p id="Pldh7e">After a thrilling and unprecedented bubble season in 2020, <em>Swish Appeal</em> has decided to examine what each WNBA team needs the most heading into what will hopefully be a more normal 2021 season. Here’s a look at what the New York Liberty need to do this offseason:</p>
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<p id="S28nW4">With just two wins in 22 games, the Liberty were the worst team in the WNBA in 2020. </p>
<p id="zmhkFv">First-year head coach Walt Hopkins said in his introductory press conference that he wanted his team to attempt a lot of 3-point shots and New York did just that — the Liberty took 602 shots from beyond the arc, trailing the Dallas Wings by just five for most in the league.</p>
<aside id="SD1RqL"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"It’s official! Walt Hopkins hired as Liberty head coach","url":"https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2020/1/7/21054309/wnba-new-york-liberty-head-coach-walt-hopkins"}]}'></div></aside><p id="jUpLv1">Unfortunately for New York, the team shot just 27.7 percent from distance, giving it the worst percentage in the WNBA, comfortably behind the Connecticut Sun’s 31.1-percent clip.</p>
<p id="38U61P">The dichotomy of being nearly first in attempts and tied in sixth place with the Chicago Sky for made 3-pointers, with 167, spelled disaster. </p>
<p id="VVOikd">New York was the second-youngest team in the league this year and had seven rookies, the best of whom, No. 1 overall draft pick Sabrina Ionescu, suffered a <a href="https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2020/8/1/21350142/wnba-atlanta-dream-new-york-liberty-sabrina-ionescu-betnijah-laney-dallas-wings-phoenix-mercury">season-ending ankle injury</a> in the third game of the season. So, the Liberty had other factors working against them, but an adjustment in offensive philosophy may have swung the balance in a few of their five single-digit losses.</p>
<p id="TtPGsO">The return of Ionescu, Asia Durr and Rebecca Allen in 2021 will change things in the 3-point department. Ionescu and Durr were excellent 3-point shooters in college even while taking north of 200 shots some seasons — like Durr, who attempted 294 threes in 2016-17. Allen, meanwhile, shot 42.6 percent from downtown in the 2019 WNBA season. </p>
<p id="xvuwja">Giving Ionescu and Durr the chance to attempt a high volume of 3-pointers makes sense, but there were some glaring 3-point numbers coming from other players on the Liberty in 2020 and that need to be fixed. That could mean giving young 3-point threats the chance to develop more. Or, it could mean directing the team to make fewer attempts from deep. To succeed in 2021, it will probably require a combination of both.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="New York Liberty v Atlanta Dream" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NqA42occutxHuElneaHNwMQzGM8=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21986180/1228552511.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Sabrina Ionescu (with ball) recorded a college career-best 43.8-percent shooting on 3-pointers as a sophomore at Oregon, with 102.</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2 id="Z78JAm"><strong>Overall assessment</strong></h2>
<p id="FqobRW">Kia Nurse averaged 1.4 threes per game for the Liberty in 2020, but her percentage plummeted from 35.3 percent in 2019 to 23.8 percent. Kiah Stokes, meanwhile — who had taken only three 3-point attempts in her first four years in the league — went 20-of-85 (23.5 percent) in 2020.</p>
<p id="SJLwWa">Amanda Zahui B. (34 makes on 100 attempts), rookie Jocelyn Willoughby (40.5 percent) and second-year player Paris Kea (39.4 percent) were bright spots from long range.</p>
<p id="YQeFoN">That leaves the most puzzling 3-point effort the Liberty saw in 2020 — that of Megan Walker.</p>
<p id="CDqezE">Walker was eighth in the nation in 3-point percentage (45.1 percent) as a junior at UConn and entered the WNBA Draft a year early. New York took her at No. 9, but a positive COVID-19 test delayed her entrance into the bubble by one game. The Husky sharpshooter never found a rhythm from beyond the arc and finished the season a dismal 6-of-43 (14 percent) shooting from three. </p>
<p id="fzoCLn">Because of her extreme talent, Walker deserves a second chance in 2021 — not just from the 3-point line, but as an offensive player overall. However, the line has to be drawn at some point with all of New York’s players. While Hopkins’ 3-point strategy may work in the long run, it was not effective in its first year of implementation and the team is still growing. </p>
<p id="ycSfFN"></p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2020/10/28/21530759/wnba-new-york-liberty-offseason-goal-sabrina-ionescu-kia-nurse-asia-durr-walt-hopkins-rebecca-allenZachary Ward2020-10-27T17:00:00-04:002020-10-27T17:00:00-04:00Minnesota Lynx’s No. 1 offseason goal: Find another versatile scorer
<figure>
<img alt="Minnesota Lynx v Washington Mystics" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EZmWcMrQokRHiMNzPeX14qo01YQ=/277x0:3260x1989/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67698173/1228548641.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Bridget Carleton (with ball) is roughly the same height as Maya Moore, started at small forward for the Lynx in 2020 and has the skills to become an impact player. | Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>If Maya Moore returns to the WNBA, watch out for the Lynx. If she doesn’t, Minnesota can still compete for a championship if it can develop or sign another do-it-all offensive player. A young player already on the roster who could be part of the solution: Bridget Carleton.</p> <p id="4TjTW7">After a thrilling and unprecedented bubble season in 2020, <em>Swish Appeal</em> has decided to examine what each WNBA team needs the most heading into what will hopefully be a more normal 2021 season. Here’s a look at what the Minnesota Lynx need to do this offseason:</p>
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<p id="RyiwLU">The Lynx have toughness, a great culture and the Coach of the Year in Cheryl Reeve, and those things brought them to the semifinals of the 2020 WNBA Playoffs. Yet, they were swept by a Seattle Storm team that had too many offensive weapons for the rebuilding Lynx to handle. This offseason, it will be interesting to see what the Lynx do to put more points on the board — a necessity for competing with teams like the Storm, who can pile on a scoring blitz.</p>
<p id="DEC2lD">In 2020, Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, an All-WNBA Second Team selection, worked in the post, knocked down shots from outside and averaged 3.3 assists per game. And Damiris Dantas, a 6-foot-3 do-it-all forward, had a breakout year and demonstrated potential for a high ceiling. Still, the Lynx could use one more versatile scorer to complete a starting lineup featuring a true point guard in Crystal Dangerfield, a true center in Sylvia Fowles and the inside-out games of Collier and Dantas. </p>
<p id="gn8so0">Of course, Minnesota wouldn’t mind if Maya Moore walked through the doors of the Target Center. She won four championships for the Lynx before taking the past two years off to focus on criminal justice reform. If she returns in 2021 and Fowles recovers well from the calf injury that nagged her for most of the 2020 season, Minnesota will be set to contend for a title. </p>
<p id="rIl4lI">And if the 2020 season is any indication, the Lynx will be knocking on the door to the WNBA Finals, with or without those players. So, finding a player in the mold of Maya Moore — it doesn’t have to be her or even someone as talented — could put them over the top.</p>
<h2 id="2c8wJm"><strong>Options from within</strong></h2>
<p id="FVDqjw">Bridget Carleton made a huge leap in her second WNBA season and started 15 games for the Lynx. The 6-foot-1 guard/forward broke out for 25 points in a single game against the New York Liberty on Aug. 5. Although she lacks the same explosiveness as Moore, Carleton uses her size to her advantage and is a complete offensive player. </p>
<p id="9F8Lf6">Carleton played nearly the same number of minutes as Dantas this year but scored half the points. If she can raise her play to the level of Dantas’, Carleton would go a long way toward filling the the Lynx’s biggest need. </p>
<h4 id="iJaX0n"><strong>Highlights: Bridget Carleton showed off her talent this summer</strong></h4>
<div id="VATqP1"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kmgu-YSMF4o?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media; accelerometer; clipboard-write; gyroscope; picture-in-picture"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="E5I4lt">Lexie Brown, meanwhile, was expected to improve upon her 2019 season during which she was Minnesota’s top bench player. A concussion sustained during the 2020 season held her back, but Brown remains a driving and shooting point guard/shooting guard who is just entering her prime. </p>
<h2 id="dgDaB3"><strong>Options from the outside</strong></h2>
<p id="8ndzEw">Some options among the league’s <a href="https://herhoopstats.substack.com/p/2021-wnba-free-agency-list">unrestricted free agents</a> include Chelsea Gray, Natasha Howard and Aerial Powers. </p>
<p id="W0YbDk">Gray would help in the distributing department, though Minnesota is doing fine with playmaking and ball movement thanks to Dangerfield, the reigning Rookie of the Year. Howard, who won a championship with the Lynx in 2017 and was named the WNBA’s Most Improved Player with the Storm in 2018, would make a good defense even better. And Powers would power her driving and 3-point shooting abilities with energy.</p>
<p id="eE4Ilm">All three players are on contending teams, so they may not want to leave their respective situations. But being on a contending squad often means limited opportunity. </p>
<p id="78UMIy">It’s not clear, for example, how much playing time Powers will get on a Washington Mystics team that now has two more stars than it had in 2019: the newly-acquired Tina Charles and a much-improved Myisha Hines-Allen. Gray is the most likely to remain a go-to player on her Los Angeles Sparks, but Howard is in a similar situation to Powers — she saw her playing time for the 2020 champion Storm go down by 10.4 minutes per game when Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird returned after missing all of the 2019 season. Powers will be the least sought of the trio, but Minnesota can <a href="https://herhoopstats.substack.com/p/2020-reflections-and-2021-forecasts-e08">more than afford</a> any of them with its $452,154 in cap space.</p>
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<p id="Ec2ybI"></p>
<p id="rt5hhX"></p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2020/10/27/21529376/wnba-minnesota-lynx-need-playmaker-in-2021-bridget-carleton-maya-moore-cheryl-reeve-napheesa-collierZachary Ward2020-10-26T12:00:00-04:002020-10-26T12:00:00-04:00Los Angeles Sparks’ No. 1 offseason goal: Move beyond the memory of 2016
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<img alt="Washington Mystics v Los Angeles Sparks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/P-vn8ne5Nig7OkM1lIrpP2RvAEc=/445x293:3850x2563/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67690180/1228445894.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>When healthy, Nneka Ogwumike and Candace Parker still are two of the game’s best. How can they ensure the Los Angeles Sparks are at their best, especially in the playoffs? | Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>After another disappointing playoff exit, the Los Angeles Sparks enter a critical 2021 offseason. Nine players are up for new contracts, including Candace Parker, Nneka Ogwumike and Chelsea Gray. How should LA navigate an offseason full of difficult decisions?</p> <p id="VqTGNI">After a thrilling and unprecedented bubble season in 2020, <em>Swish Appeal</em> has decided to examine what each WNBA team needs the most heading into what will hopefully be a more normal 2021 WNBA season. Here’s a look at what the Los Angeles Sparks need to do this offseason:</p>
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<p id="089lcK">It has been four years since the Los Angeles Sparks won their magical, masterful 2016 title. </p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"> <br><br>OTD in 2016: We brought the trophy back to the City of LA <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoSparks?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoSparks</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeadTheCharge?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeadTheCharge</a> <a href="https://t.co/hBwpbRjAtC">pic.twitter.com/hBwpbRjAtC</a></p>— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) <a href="https://twitter.com/LASparks/status/1318613327237373952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2020</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="Ifa6Pi">Since then, the Sparks have made significant changes — to the roster, the coaching staff and the front office. Yet, the spirit of 2016 is still alive in LA and some version of #RunItBack has remained the guiding ethos of the team for the past few seasons, with the 2016 championship serving as justification for this approach. It is exceptionalism at its finest — this team has won a title, and it will win one again. </p>
<p id="fvr2oD">This attitude, however, has not achieved the desired results, especially in the playoffs. In 2019, the Sparks admirably weathered an array of regular-season injuries but flamed out of the playoffs in embarrassing fashion. 2020 followed a similar script, with an impressive regular season overshadowed by an early, uninspiring postseason exit.</p>
<p id="TRErWW">With nine of their players up for new contracts, the Sparks will be forced to make some changes ahead of the 2021 WNBA season and, in the process, develop a new strategic and spiritual purpose.</p>
<h2 id="WffHB0"><strong>How can the Sparks move beyond the memory of 2016?</strong></h2>
<p id="UiVFSj">Moving on from 2016 does not necessarily mean moving on from the core of that team that has remained in LA — Candace Parker, Nneka Ogwumike and Chelsea Gray. </p>
<p id="fu0ysu">All three are unrestricted free agents, however, and all three likely will be expecting max-level contracts. Presuming they want to stay in LA, the Sparks could re-sign the trio, but doing so would leave little flexibility for building a roster around them. </p>
<p id="o6pgm1">The only Spark signed to a guaranteed contract for 2021 is Kristi Toliver, meaning the Sparks would still need to add eight more players to fill out their 12-woman roster, <a href="https://herhoopstats.substack.com/p/2020-reflections-and-2021-forecasts-29d">with little space under the salary cap to do so</a>. Since Parker, Ogwumike and Toliver all are over the age of 30 and have struggled with nagging to semi-serious injuries over the last few seasons, it is pertinent that the Sparks have a reliable, deep roster. </p>
<p id="z9gewD">All the more, this approach would seem to lock LA back into a “memory of 2016” mindset, especially since Toliver also was part of that title team. </p>
<p id="5hIapq">So, the Sparks will have to get creative and strategic and, yes, make the hard decisions needed to situate the team for sustainable success. </p>
<h2 id="9ljYCl"><strong>A snapshot of the Sparks’ many roster-related questions</strong></h2>
<p id="A5eEfN">Do they allow Gray, who performed below expectations in 2020, to find a new hooping home and entrust Toliver to serve as the full-time point guard while also investing in Te’a Cooper (who is a reserve player)? Do they prioritize Parker or Ogwumike? And what about Chiney Ogwumike (who also is a reserve player)? Do any of these players sacrifice a potentially higher payday to stay in LA? </p>
<p id="fYEcqT">Britney Sykes and Riquna Williams also are free agents, with Sykes restricted and Williams unrestricted. As Sykes broke out as an <a href="https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/21494012/wnba-all-defense-2020-alysha-clark-betnijah-laney-brianna-turner-alyssa-thomas-elizabeth-williams">All-Defense-level player</a> in her first season with LA, the organization likely intends to retain her. Williams has proven herself to be a valuable microwave scorer. Yet, she is a player who relies on her athleticism and she will turn 30 around the (assumed) start of the 2021 season. The Sparks also should want to guarantee the contract of Sydney Wiese, who, over her three seasons in the league, has gone from a fringe player to a solid contributor. </p>
<p id="VX3U75">Yet, it is worth asking: Who will be making these tough decisions? </p>
<h2 id="Nvp3mH"><strong>Who should be calling the shots for the Sparks?</strong></h2>
<p id="XSxu1m">The organization never formerly replaced former general manager Penny Toler, <a href="https://www.swishappeal.com/2019/10/4/20897898/wnba-penny-toler-racial-epithet-worker-intimidation-los-angeles-sparks-derek-fisher">who was dismissed after the dramatic, disastrous end to the 2019 season</a>. </p>
<p id="bVNlzG">Instead, assistant general Michael Fischer has served as the lead decision-maker. During the 2020 offseason, Fischer swung the trade for Sykes and later added Cooper, who had been cut by the Phoenix Mercury. These moves suggest he might deserve to be elevated to the general managership, thereby giving him the green light to make the difficult decisions that are ahead. </p>
<p id="ZVHsLr">Alternatively, the organization could bring in a leader beyond the circle of purple and gold and inject the organization with a fresh, outside perspective. As the Sparks have several community outreach programs dedicated to empowering women, it would be encouraging for the organization to <a href="https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/21519817/wnba-head-coaching-front-office-leadership-retired-players-dallas-wings-alana-beard-sheryl-swoopes">entrust another woman of color</a> with lead decision-making powers. </p>
<p id="2nLszS"><a href="https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2019/10/22/20909561/wnba-los-angeles-sparks-coach-derek-fisher-candace-parker">Questions</a> also will continue <a href="https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2018/12/13/18139113/wnba-nba-derek-fisher-los-angeles-lakers-sparks-concern">to surround Derek Fisher</a>. In his two seasons, Fisher has proven to be a solid developmental coach, helping role players — from Wiese to Williams to Sykes — be the best versions of themselves. Yet, he has failed to maximize his stars, especially Gray, whose counting and advanced stats have dropped during her time under Fisher. Most importantly, Fisher’s performances in the playoffs have failed to inspire confidence. </p>
<aside id="eNgFWs"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"What if Derek Fisher hadn’t benched Candace Parker?","url":"https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2020/5/12/21254066/wnba-los-angeles-sparks-candace-parker-derek-fisher-connecticut-sun-2019-playoffs-game-3-semifinals"}]}'></div></aside><p id="ruhSin">In short, moving on from the memory of 2016 will be a multi-part process full of some unwelcome and uncomfortable decisions. Regardless, rejecting any nostalgia about what has been in favor of a willingness to reimagine what <em>could</em> be is the attitude LA must take into a critical offseason. </p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2020/10/26/21527574/wnba-los-angeles-sparks-offseason-free-agent-candace-parker-nneka-ogwumike-chelsea-gray-derek-fisherCat Ariail2020-10-25T09:00:00-04:002020-10-25T09:00:00-04:00Aces’ No. 1 offseason goal: Do well in free agency
<figure>
<img alt="Las Vegas Aces v Washington Mystics" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/n3TWg11OBhJ39x8XersUqeLE3v4=/1568x0:3105x1025/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67685399/1156189002.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Unrestricted free agents Liz Cambage (far right) and Kayla McBride (far left) would give the Aces a stacked roster if they both return. | Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Las Vegas Aces will have six players under contract when free agency starts. Will Liz Cambage and Kayla McBride still be a part of their core group? Will they make any big changes to their bench?</p> <p id="Pldh7e">After a thrilling and unprecedented bubble season in 2020, <em>Swish Appeal</em> has decided to examine what each WNBA team needs the most heading into what will hopefully be a more normal 2021 season. Here’s a look at what the Las Vegas Aces need to do this offseason:</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="OR95Qn">
<p id="S28nW4">The Las Vegas Aces entered the 2020 season without their starting point guard, Kelsey Plum, and their starting center, Liz Cambage. Yet, the Aces went 18-4 and were the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. They escaped the Connecticut Sun following a grueling five-game semifinal series but were dispatched quickly by the Seattle Storm in a 3-0 sweep in the WNBA Finals. </p>
<p id="suAHX3">On the court, the Aces have an established identity that results in a lot of two-point shots. Yet, they were <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/teams/advanced/?sort=OFF_RATING&dir=-1">second</a> in offensive rating in 2020. Defensively, the Aces were stingy, giving up just 80.1 points per game, which was good for <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/teams/opponent/?sort=OPP_PTS&dir=-1">third-best</a> in the league. In the regular season, the Aces and Storm seemed well matched but a knee injury to Dearica Hamby limited the Aces on defense and it showed throughout the Finals. </p>
<p id="ldfsKa">Looking ahead to the 2021 season, the Aces have six players under contract: A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Dearica Hamby, Angel McCoughtry, Jackie Young and JiSu Park. This leaves Liz Cambage, Lindsay Allen, Danielle Robinson, Sugar Rodgers, Cierra Burdick, Emma Cannon, Carolyn Swords, and starting shooting guard Kayla McBride as <a href="https://thenext.substack.com/p/the-next-presents-your-2020-wnba">free agents</a>. One would expect Cambage and McBride to be back, creating quite a formidable team. </p>
<p id="C20GiT">In 2019, the Aces were quite good with the addition of Cambage. They were then able to withstand her absence in 2020 thanks to the signing of Angel McCoughtry. A frontline of McCoughtry, Wilson, and Cambage should scare the rest of the WNBA. Kayla McBride has seen her role within the offense change as Las Vegas has added offensive weapons over recent seasons. However, she adds some much welcomed 3-point shooting. </p>
<p id="vOGj2X">Could the Aces look outside Cambage and McBride? It is unlikely but, where could they look? Frontcourt players Natasha Howard, Emma Meesseman, and Cheyenne Parker will be unrestricted free agents. Backcourt players Jasmine Thomas, Essence Carson, Chelsea Gray, and Riquna Williams will also be available.</p>
<p id="mBI16B">Then the question becomes how do the Aces fill out their bench? Swords, a center, tried to retire after the 2019 season but was needed to fill in for Cambage. She will likely re-enter retirement. Robinson got regular minutes and Rodgers showed flashes of good moments all year. Allen started all year in place of Plum but only <a href="https://aces.wnba.com/stats/#?season=2020&seasontype=02&permode=avg">played</a> 13.5 minutes per contest. </p>
<p id="4aoqYp">The Aces have a lot of decisions to make this offseason and, as a franchise in a championship window, each signing will be important to getting them back to the Finals. </p>
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https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2020/10/25/21532445/wnba-las-vegas-aces-offseason-goal-free-agency-liz-cambage-kayla-mcbride-aja-wilson-kelsey-plumJimSavell2020-10-24T11:00:00-04:002020-10-24T11:00:00-04:00Indiana Fever’s No. 1 offseason goal: More energy on defense
<figure>
<img alt="Minnesota Lynx v Indiana Fever" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YsQoq-_DTvHMVb0qrxgKV2WWPl0=/0x89:5051x3456/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67682818/1228480415.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Teaira McCowan (center) will look to improve upon the 4.2 defensive rebounds she averaged in 2020. She averaged 7.9 per game as a junior at Mississippi State. | Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Indiana Fever were the worst defensive team in the WNBA based on points allowed and opponent field-goal percentage. As they continue to rebuild under Marianne Stanley, Indiana must coax more defense from its young core of Teaira McCowan, Kelsey Mitchell and Julie Allemand as well as Erica Wheeler.</p> <p id="PiSzcd">After a thrilling and unprecedented bubble season in 2020, <em>Swish Appeal</em> has decided to examine what each WNBA team needs the most heading into what will hopefully be a more normal 2021 WNBA season. Here’s a look at what the Indiana Fever need to do this offseason:</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="2YSVQo">
<p id="5nC9wb">When your team is dead last in turnovers forced, you need some youthful energy to get you going.</p>
<p id="JsRw0H">The Indiana Fever’s Julie Allemand is hoping to provide her team with just that in 2021 after a rookie season where she oftentimes was the team’s best defender.</p>
<p id="eCiSJo">The Fever were the second-worst team in the league with a 6-16 record in the shortened 2020 season. You would expect there to be deficiencies somewhere, and there were plenty on the defensive end:</p>
<ul>
<li id="4kXgD4">24.7 defensive rebounds per game (ninth)</li>
<li id="NgJYwp">5.1 steals per game (12th)</li>
<li id="d9vRQM">47.2 opponent field-goal percentage (12th)</li>
<li id="hdHorB">21.3 free-throw attempts allowed per game (12th)</li>
<li id="9lTJ9g">89.5 points allowed per game (12th)</li>
</ul>
<p id="QeXHlg">The bright spots for Indiana included:</p>
<ul>
<li id="1eVB0r">19.4 free-throw attempts per game (fourth)</li>
<li id="VGt5pU">81.9 free-throw percentage (fourth)</li>
<li id="NpPqhC">34.5 shooting percentage from distance (seventh)</li>
<li id="aeohUt">9.0 offensive rebounds per game (fifth)</li>
</ul>
<p id="4QTUwx">Allemand was a big reason the team’s 3-point percentage was decent. She shot 47.8 percent from downtown —good for second in the league. After making a surprise appearance on the All-Rookie Team, Allemand now needs to step up on defense more than she already has. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="New York Liberty v Indiana Fever" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CH1jA_hh8JBfsalDadaD4J8QTmw=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21978364/1228445905.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Julie Allemand played well on both sides of the ball in 2020.</figcaption>
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<p id="tdUxbv">The Fever, Wings, Sky and Liberty were the four WNBA teams who were not represented on the All-Defensive teams this year. Indiana may not have a truly elite defender on its roster yet, but Allemand is only going to improve in 2021. She has endurance too — she led the team in minutes per game with 32.5 despite ranking fifth in scoring with 8.5 points per game.</p>
<p id="BYWTyn">Another thing to keep in mind is that for all of the 2020 season, Indiana was missing starting point guard Erica Wheeler, who was sidelined by a positive COVID-19 test and lasting symptoms that thwarted her entry into the bubble.</p>
<p id="pJ7nHu">Wheeler, who will be an <a href="https://herhoopstats.substack.com/p/2021-wnba-free-agency-list">unrestricted free agent</a> this offseason, was the MVP of the 2019 All-Star Game and averaged 1.2 steals per game that season — just above Allemand’s 1.1 in 2020. Wheeler also averaged 1.4 steals in 2017. Getting her back would help the team’s defense because, like Allemand, Wheeler is not short on energy. </p>
<p id="Z1cX7b">The only problem would be figuring out a way to get both Wheeler and Allemand sufficient playing time because both are point guards.</p>
<p id="jwt2Jo">The Fever’s 6-foot-7 center, Teaira McCowan, was expected to have a breakout year in 2020 but she averaged just 21 minutes per game and her defensive rebounding average went down from 5.8 in 2019 to 4.2.</p>
<p id="dHHEWY">Indiana needs improvement from McCowan on the defensive end and continued improvement from the key offensive players it wants to build around, namely Kelsey Mitchell. The team also could look to get better defensive players in free agency.</p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2020/10/24/21527242/wnba-indiana-fever-offseason-goal-julie-allemand-erica-wheeler-teaira-mccowan-kelsey-mitchellZachary Ward