Analyst Proposes Two Sky Trades Ahead of Deadline
The WNBA Trade Deadline is rapidly approaching and the Chicago Sky should consider making some moves.
With just a handful of wins to their record with about a month to go in the season, the Sky could build towards the future with some trades.
For The Win contributor Cory Woodroof suggested a deal that would send Rachel Banham to the contending Atlanta Dream.
"Few teams in the WNBA love to shoot the 3-pointer like the Dream, and Banham coming off the bench for Atlanta could cement it as one of the best contenders in the league," Woodroof wrote.
"She would be an outstanding option for a Dream team that could thrive with more options in the rotation to score from beyond the arc. Chicago needs young talent, so Dream guard Maya Caldwell and forward Taylor Thierry could get real minutes with the Sky as part of the trade."
Banham, 32, is averaging a career high nine points per game for the Sky this season. Her value is possibly at an all-time high, so the Sky should consider parting ways with her to help build the future for Chicago.
The Sky should explore other avenues towards improvement, which could include also trading Rebecca Allen. Woodroof suggested the team should move Allen to the Washington Mystics for a younger guard in Lucy Olsen.
"The Mystics could use another veteran guard coming off the bench for their playoff push, and Allen could absolutely provide that," Woodroof wrote.
"Chicago could add a young guard in Lucy Olsen to the roster, and Washington could try Allen out for the rest of the season coming off the bench and potentially re-sign her as a free agent next offseason. A player-for-player swap makes sense here, as Olsen's overall potential matches Allen's instant and possibly long-term impact."
Allen, 32, is averaging 6.3 points per game in her 10th WNBA season. Meanwhile, Olsen is a second-round rookie that isn't getting much playing time for the Mystics. She's averaging 3.5 points per game in mostly garbage time opportunities.
While that trade might not have a ton of impact, it would bring youth to the Sky. That is what the team should be searching for as it goes further into its rebuild.
Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.