CT Sun Which Players Should Go/Stay

[Wbbfan1]

Mike DiMauro: http://www.theday.com/article/20140818/SPORT01/308189955

 

[Waquoit]

A team goes from 28 to 10 to 13 wins and the question is what players should go?

 

[huskeynut]

Donovan will be in her last year of her contract next season. Then she will be gone somewhere else.

Renee will probably be gone for next year as well as Kelly.

Sun making the playoffs next year - don't think so.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Odds are CT Sun aren't going to get KML since they have the 3rd & 4th pick in the draft prior to the lottery. Most likely Seattle or Tulsa will end up with the 1st pick. It will be interesting to see who will be available when its their turn to draft. If the Sun end up with the 3rd & 4th picks, I'd rather seen them trade one of the picks for a 2016 draft choice. Providing the trade was made with one of the projected weaker teams in the league. I'm thinking San Antonio, Washington, NY and Indiana if Catchings retires. Thinking that Lauren Jackson will play next year and that will make Seattle a much better team. All except NY made the playoffs this year, but they had losing records.

Donovan will be in her last year of her contract next season. Then she will be gone somewhere else.

Renee will probably be gone for next year as well as Kelly.

Sun making the playoffs next year - don't think so.

 

[MarieYLee]

The Sun will still be young, and its probably best if they don't get into the playoffs next year to get a shot at Stewie (Loyd, then Jefferson are great consolation prizes as well). Chiney is very good, much better than I anticipated, however, I do not see her as a #1 option on a championship caliber WNBA team (#2...yes). Obviously best outcome would to pair her up with Stewert in the front line...or Loyd.

 

[JoePgh]

Obviously the answer to "who should they keep" depends on the outcome of the lottery. But with two lottery picks, and of course barring injuries, it would be very disappointing (and certainly seal Anne Donovan's fate) if the Sun did not make the playoffs next year. So I would not be in favor of trading lottery picks for lower picks in 2016. Trading lottery picks for really good veteran players might make sense, provided that they are healthy, committed, and fill the Sun's needs. (But then who would give up such players even for a lottery pick?)

The question that can be answered now, and that I think it is more important to address, is "what are the Sun's greatest roster needs?" My answer is that two needs really stand out:

1. They need a dominant post player;
2. They need a truly reliable 3-point shooter (you would think Katie or Renee would qualify, but that has not been the case).

If (hypothetically) they did get the first two picks, that might turn out to be Kiah Stokes and KML.

If those two needs are filled, then I think the rest of the roster is more than adequate to allow them to win 20 games next year.

 

[JBMudd]

Odds are CT Sun aren't going to get KML since they have the 3rd & 4th pick in the draft prior to the lottery. Most likely Seattle or Tulsa will end up with the 1st pick. It will be interesting to see who will be available when its their turn to draft. If the Sun end up with the 3rd & 4th picks, I'd rather seen them trade one of the picks for a 2016 draft choice. Providing the trade was made with one of the projected weaker teams in the league. I'm thinking San Antonio, Washington, NY and Indiana if Catchings retires. Thinking that Lauren Jackson will play next year and that will make Seattle a much better team. All except NY made the playoffs this year, but they had losing records.

While true that Seattle and Tulsa will each have betters odds, the Sun could still end up with the first and second picks in the draft. Finishing order does not necessarily equate to draft order.

 

[Beemer]

I doubt if Kelly Faris will be back even though she had her best game of the season yesterday. No question about her ability to defend but she just doesn't have any offense to speak of-hopefully that is something she can work on if she's playing overseas.

 

[lanieer]

I agree totally with DiMauro on his choices. I'm not so sure that Donovan will not be let go either but it is too early and I haven't heard any discontent from the present players. I would stick with Hightower though. This year was tough to replace Tina Charles who wasn't happy here. We have two excellent future All-Stars with Thomas and Ogwumike with a year under their belt. They seem like great team players loaded with talent. Gray will be a tremendous addition and with the two draft picks it gives the Sun options with a trade for an established player or the addition of two more youn talents. I agree that Kelly Faris is probably gone. I've seen four games this year and she played about 5 minutes each and never had I seen her aggressive and looking for a shot nor get an assist. Renee has the talent to stay but they may be guard heavy. I'm positive about next year.

 

[Waquoit]

Actually the Sun got their wish. They don't have to worry about getting bounced out of the playoffs early with AD as coach.

 

[DICKG]

Mike DiMauro: http://www.theday.com/article/20140818/SPORT01/308189955

Does anyone know the Aysha Jones situation? If we still gave her contract, what happens to her?

 

[lanieer]

I haven't heard anything from Asjha Jones but at 34 years old and such a devastating injury with a torn Achilles I doubt she would return to the Sun with Katie Douglas on the team. I guess Mike Thibault could grab another former UConn player since he always said she was his favorite for some vet help. I could definitely see her going the way of Tamika Williams and maybe coaching. The best thing that ever happened to her WNBA career was leaving Washington for the Sun. Maybe she does the opposite this time.

 

[Shenandoah]

"Danielle McCray: You want to like her more. Athletic, strong. But the only pro athlete who throws the ball to the other team more is Eli Manning. Thibault did a lot of great things here, but drafting McCray was a swing and a miss. She needs to be on the first bus out."

Cold...True, but cold! LOL!!!

 

[Beemer]

I haven't heard anything from Asjha Jones but at 34 years old and such a devastating injury with a torn Achilles I doubt she would return to the Sun with Katie Douglas on the team. I guess Mike Thibault could grab another former UConn player since he always said she was his favorite for some vet help. I could definitely see her going the way of Tamika Williams and maybe coaching. The best thing that ever happened to her WNBA career was leaving Washington for the Sun. Maybe she does the opposite this time.

Damn how did Asjha Jones get to be 34? Why it was just the other day I was watching her play for UConn

 

[jdubct]

A team goes from 28 to 10 to 13 wins and the question is what players should go?

Exactly!

 

[stwainfan]

I haven't looked too see which players are free agents. Maybe they can get a good player that way. If the draft Izzy Harrison could make a good pro player.

 

[JoePgh]

I haven't looked too see which players are free agents. Maybe they can get a good player that way. If the draft Izzy Harrison could make a good pro player.

She could be good in the WNBA, but probably more as a 4 than as a 5. Since the Sun have Chiney as their 4 for the next several years (until Chiney decides to run for the Senate or something), Izzy probably isn't a good choice for the Sun. They need someone a bit bigger and more reliable than Kelsey Bone to play the 5 for them.

Does anyone find it interesting or worthwhile to speculate where the Sun would have finished this year if they had retained Tina as a productive, happy player, and therefore did not have Bone or Alyssa Thomas? I think they would certainly have made the playoffs, and possibly had 18-19 wins. That would have been enough to be #1 in the East this year.

If the Sun get a good player next year with the pick that they got from NY for Tina (in addition to Bone and Thomas), then the trade may be a net benefit to them even though it was forced by Tina's ultimatum. I still don't understand why the Liberty gave up 3 #1 draft choices just to get Tina a year earlier than they otherwise would have (and despite that, they still didn't make the playoffs, so they wasted the year and three players by making that trade).

 

[ocoandasoc]

Unfortunately, I guess if the Sun were going to make a coaching change they would have already announced it. Who knows, adding two of the first four draft choices again this year might inspire AD to win another game or two. They might even make the playoffs -- but I wouldn't bet on it. They were just a game away from being the WORST team in the entire WNBA this year.
But maybe that's the Sun's strategy... hire an awful coach, get lots of good draft picks for three years, then hire a good coach and actually compete. Yeah... maybe that's the strategy. It's the only rationale for what they're doing.

 

[psconn]

Wow. I agree with just about everything Mike DiMauro said (makes me feel a little dirty).

Here's hoping that Chelsea Gray turns out to be the point guard of our dreams, that Kelsey Bone continues to improve her powerful inside game (hint: use the glass, Kelsey), and that Alyssa Thomas finds consistency and a killer mid-range shot. Most importantly, a healthy season for all in 2015.

The Sun need outside shooters and more help inside... If Kelly and/or Renee need to go, so be it, but replacing them with Kaleena and Kiah would be a dream come true. Kiah does not show up on mock drafts in the first round but I have a feeling that will change by the end of the season. She is a true defensive presence.

 

[Striper69]

She could be good in the WNBA, but probably more as a 4 than as a 5. Since the Sun have Chiney as their 4 for the next several years (until Chiney decides to run for the Senate or something), Izzy probably isn't a good choice for the Sun. They need someone a bit bigger and more reliable than Kelsey Bone to play the 5 for them.

Does anyone find it interesting or worthwhile to speculate where the Sun would have finished this year if they had retained Tina as a productive, happy player, and therefore did not have Bone or Alyssa Thomas? I think they would certainly have made the playoffs, and possibly had 18-19 wins. That would have been enough to be #1 in the East this year.

If the Sun get a good player next year with the pick that they got from NY for Tina (in addition to Bone and Thomas), then the trade may be a net benefit to them even though it was forced by Tina's ultimatum. I still don't understand why the Liberty gave up 3 #1 draft choices just to get Tina a year earlier than they otherwise would have (and despite that, they still didn't make the playoffs, so they wasted the year and three players by making that trade).

You guys should let go of the idea about Charles staying with the Sun. She's gone and she wanted to go.

Laimbeer made some bad decisions- (one was cutting Simmons) saying she didn't pick up his system. Looks like most of the players he kept didn't pick it up either. He should've just kept her and told her where to get the ball. Just give her the ball and let her shoot.

Poindexter really under performed this year and let him down. Had a few good games but wasn't nearly consistent enough to compliment Charles.

 

[Striper69]

Wow. I agree with just about everything Mike DiMauro said (makes me feel a little dirty).

Here's hoping that Chelsea Gray turns out to be the point guard of our dreams, that Kelsey Bone continues to improve her powerful inside game (hint: use the glass, Kelsey), and that Alyssa Thomas finds consistency and a killer mid-range shot. Most importantly, a healthy season for all in 2015.

The Sun need outside shooters and more help inside... If Kelly and/or Renee need to go, so be it, but replacing them with Kaleena and Kiah would be a dream come true. Kiah does not show up on mock drafts in the first round but I have a feeling that will change by the end of the season. She is a true defensive presence.

I think Kiah will be great this year. She's a nice rebounder as well as a good defensive player. Kiah and KML would be awesome for the Sun.

 

[Waquoit]

You guys should let go of the idea about Charles staying with the Sun. She's gone and she wanted to go.

That's not the point. They should have cut Donovan loose. She's the Paul Pasqualoni of the NBA. Had a nice run back in the day, but those days are gone.

 

[Striper69]

They're certainly not going to do that. Get real. For whatever reason they fired Thibault and hired her. It stands to reason that they're going to give her every chance to suceed so they don't look bad.

 

[JoePgh]

Do you Donovan detractors really believe that this year's roster underachieved by winning 13 games? Basically all of them except Katie Douglas are inexperienced, and the most talented players are rookies. How many wins do you think Thibault would have had with this roster? Or Laimbeer? Or Geno, for that matter?

Thibault's last team in 2012 had Tina Charles, Asjha Jones, and Kara Lawson as productive, contributing players. All could be considered experienced. If you take those players away and replace them with talented but rather green kids, you can't expect the coach to produce the same number of wins.

 

[Striper69]

They should do a lot better next year- even with Donovan as coach.