Can the Connecticut Sun Rise Again?

The Connecticut Sun saw a mass exodus in the WNBA offseason, leaving the franchise in a reset position.

Oct 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington (21) and forward DeWanna Bonner (24) look on during the second half of game five of the 2024 WNBA playoffs against the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Connecticut Sun are the first ever WNBA team to lose all of its starters from its final playoff game of one season in the ensuing offseason, according to ESPN.

DiJonai Carrington and Ty Harris were traded to the Dallas Wings, Alyssa Thomas was traded to the Phoenix Mercury, DeWanna Bonner signed with the Indiana Fever, and Brionna Jones signed with the Atlanta Dream. Connecticut found its starting rotation gone in a week's time.

Thus, the Sun will trot out a completely new look roster come the 2025 season. Last year Connecticut had a veteran-laden team contending for a championship; now they're a franchise in rebuild mode.

However, while the Sun did lose familiar faces, they are wasting no time adding new ones. The biggest pickup so far is the return of eight-time WNBA All-Star Tina Charles, who signed a one-year deal with the Sun as a free agent on Sunday.

Charles returns to Connecticut after they drafted her as the No. 1 overall pick in 2010. Across her 13-year career in the league, she has averaged 17.9 points and 9.3 rebounds.

The Sun acquired Natasha Cloud and the No. 8 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft in the deal that sent Thomas to the Mercury. In addition, Jacy Sheldon will join Connecticut from Dallas as part of that transaction. The Sun also signed Diamond DeShields from the Sky and traded Rebecca Allen to Chicago for Lindsay Allen and the rights to Nikolina Milić.

We’re ready to be transparent… Tash is coming to Connecticut 🌩️

Welcome to CT, @T_Cloud4! pic.twitter.com/purznUAIC4

— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) February 4, 2025

It's also worth noting Marina Mabrey is still under contract for the upcoming season. Mabrey started in three games for the Sun in the regular season and averaged 14.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game last season. Should she remain on the roster, Mabrey is a proven scorer ready to inherit a bigger role.

So where does Connecticut go from here?

That is the challenge facing new head coach Rachid Meziane. Connecticut lost coach Stephanie White to the Fever and hired Meziane as her replacement. He comes to the WNBA after finding success with French women's basketball club Villeneuve d’Ascq and as coach of the Belgian women's national team.

One of the benefits of the circumstances Meziane inherits is that he can develop and tailor the roster to match his preferred play style, without the pressure of the closing window of contention the team had last year.

He also brings his international connections and notably coached former WNBA star Emma Meesseman on the Belgium squad. Meesseman has thrived overseas and is reportedly expected to take free agent meetings with potential suitors later this month.

An obvious area of focus for the Sun will be the upcoming draft. Considering the current guard-heavy roster, using the No. 8 pick to draft the best forward possibly left on the board (such as Aneesah Morrow from LSU) could be the move for Connecticut.

As is, they do have a group of guards who could fit together effectively in Mabrey, Sheldon, and Cloud. If they all stay healthy, the backcourt can be an area of strength for the Sun.

The frontcourt may be a different story, given how losing Thomas, Bonner, and Jones would be a blow to any team. Center Olivia Nelson-Ododa can help pick up the slack defending the paint and the veteran Charles will be tasked with a large responsibility on both ends amid the existing roster construction.

It's apparent the Sun has set on the last era in Connecticut. Internal development and the moves to come will shine light on whether the franchise can quickly rise again.