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Was Sky's Ariel Atkins Trade Worth It?

The 2025 WNBA Draft Night trade between the Chicago Sky and the Washington Mystics saw the former land veteran guard Ariel Atkins for the third-overall selection, which became Sonia Citron. Was it worth it?

Scott Conrad

Jul 12, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky guard Ariel Atkins (7) brings the ball up court against the Minnesota Lynx during the second half of a WNBA game at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Jul 12, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky guard Ariel Atkins (7) brings the ball up court against the Minnesota Lynx during the second half of a WNBA game at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Chicago Sky were not happy with the 2024 season last year. The development of two rookies, Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, happened during Teresa Weatherspoon's only season with the team.

After winning just 13 games and failing to make the playoffs, Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca fired her. In came Tyler Marsh, a former assistant coach with the Las Vegas Aces, to replace her.

Instead of the team relying on another pair of rookies, Chicago opted to trade their third-overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft for a veteran guard. The Sky handed over the draft rights to Sonia Citron to the Washington Mystics in exchange for Atkins.

Who came out on top of the Atkins-Citron trade?

Atkins averaged 13.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game in 2025 for the Sky. She even turned in a 30-point performance against the Aces. Her career high of 36 points last year was also against Las Vegas.

However, the former Mystics guard missed 10 games for Chicago this year. Had she played in even just one more game, Atkins could have broken her career-high of 124 assists in a season. She finished with 122 before sitting out the Sky's last three games.

Sonia Citron put up comparable numbers in her first year in the league. The rookie averaged 14.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists a game. At 21 years old, Citron was selected to play in the WNBA All-Star Game.

Sonia Citron could have been on the Chicago Sky had they not traded her draft rights for the Washington Mystics' Ariel Atkins
Sep 9, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron (22) brings the ball up the court in the second quarter against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Alissa Hirsh, a writer for the Chicago Sun-Times, called this trade 'a wash' back in early July. Hirsh even states one big difference between Atkins and Citron.

"But the Mystics will have Citron for four years guaranteed, while the Sky will have to convince Atkins to stay beyond this season," said Hirsh.

Atkins is one of the many pending free agents for the Sky. She just finished out the last year of a two-year deal worth $400,000 in full. Citron is locked up with the Mystics for two more seasons with a tag worth nearly $82,500 a year.

Essentially, Chicago paid more for a one-year rental if the team can't convince Atkins to stay with the team. The Sky let Chennedy Carter walk last year, so that could be a telling tale that Pagliocca isn't afraid of letting established talent walk.

Neither the Sky or the Mystics made the playoffs this season. Chicago has won a title more recently than Washington has.

The Mystics made it to the 2018 WNBA Finals but lost to the Seattle Storm. They won the title against the Connecticut Sun the next year. Atkins was a rookie in 2018, but won a title with the 2019 Mystics.

In her first two years, Ariel Atkins made it to the Finals with the Washington Mystics. The Chicago Sky trade for her in 2025
Oct 10, 2019; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Mystics guard Ariel Atkins (7) shoots as Connecticut Sun guard Courtney Williams (10) defends during the first quarter in game five of the 2019 WNBA Finals at Entertainment and Sports Ar. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images / Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Two seasons later, the Chicago Sky captured their first and only championship. Putting Citron with Reese and Cardoso could have given them a strong core to build around.

Instead, Chicago has their twin towers with Hailey Van Lith and Maddy Westbeld for next season and beyond. Just like Citron, Atkins could be playing for someone other than the Sky.

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Scott Conrad
SCOTT CONRAD

My name is Scott Conrad and I am a Contributor for the Chicago Sky with Sports Illustrated.com. I am also a Contributor with FanSided on NinerNoise, as well as Da Windy City. In addition, I am the Site Editor/Expert for The View from Avalon. I spent two seasons (2015 & 2016) with the Tampa Bay Times as a Correspondent covering high school football. I am a two-time published author with more work to come. In my teenage years, I started watching both MLS and WNBA start in 1996 and grow to be the juggernauts they are in their respective sports. Much love to the career on and off the court for fellow-Napervillian and former Sky forward Candace Parker. Outside of the sports journalism world, I am a travel volleyball coach. I accepted the Head Coach position with Greater Cincinnati Volleyball Club for their U13-2 team. In terms of active sports, I play volleyball, soccer, softball, kickball and train in mixed martial arts.

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