The Chicago Sky are making strikes.
The WNBA crew have acquired the No. 11 total decide from the Minnesota Lynx forward of Monday’s draft in a deal that demonstrates their intent for this season’s marketing campaign.
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In trade for his or her eleventh decide, Minnesota will hold Sky’s 2026 first-round decide.
Final yr, the Lynx obtained Chicago’s 2026 first-round decide as a part of a deal that noticed the Sky transfer up for the seventh decide, which might later change into Angel Reese.
Nevertheless, as a part of that deal the Lynx needed to swap their first spherical decide however Sunday’s deal imply they not have to take action.
Due to this fact, in 2026 the Lynx could have two first-round picks with one being Chicago’s 2026 choice.
“We consider the 2025 draft class is deep and we’re excited in regards to the flexibility we receive by buying one other first-round decide this yr,” Sky normal supervisor Jeff Pagliocca stated.
For Monday’s draft, the Sky will now have the No. 10 and No. 11 within the first spherical and No.16 and No.22 within the second spherical.
Such a deal does depart Chicago wanting skinny for subsequent yr’s draft as ought to they miss out on the playoffs, a possible excessive decide will go to the Lynx.
Nevertheless it does reveal the boldness the Sky enter this season with and provides them the capitol to potential make a bundle to maneuver up for the correct participant.
The WNBA crew made headlines earlier this yr once they traded their No.3 choice this yr for the Washington Mystics’ Ariel Atkins.
Now with two comparatively excessive picks on this yr’s draft, Chicago clearly are involved in enhancing their roster now, not later.
They narrowly missed out on the playoffs final yr once they completed two wins away from the postseason in tenth.
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Their destiny of lacking the playoffs was seemingly determined when Reese suffered a wrist harm late within the common season.
Earlier than the 22-year-old was injured her and Chicago had been stepping into type.
Reese significantly was having fun with a stellar marketing campaign, as she made the All-Star sport and broke league and franchise data.
With 26 double-doubles final yr, Reese posted the second-most double-doubles in a single season in WNBA historical past and essentially the most ever as a rookie.
15 of these 26 double-doubles got here consecutively, which is one other document.
Reese additionally had a double-double (12 factors and 11 rebounds) within the WNBA All-Star sport, turning into the first-ever rookie to realize that.
Throughout the season, the WNBA star fashioned a strong entrance courtroom partnership with Kamila Cardoso on defence.
And with the arrival of Atkins for this season, their crew simply received higher.
Reese and Chicago will probably be again in motion when the WNBA returns on Could. 17.
The Sky tackle the Indiana Fever on opening weekend in what’s a blockbuster conflict.