Connecticut Sun Can’t Afford to Lose Tina Charles in 2026

Tina Charles is the leader that Connecticut Sun need to retain on the roster if they want to have an easier rebuild in the offseason.

Eric Canha-Imagn Images

It’s no secret that the Connecticut Sun struggled on offense this year. Losing a majority of their games and landing in the bottom of the rankings, the team has a lot of work to do in the offseason to rebuild their roster.

One player who held the Sun together was Tina Charles. An offensive powerhouse, led the team multiple times in scoring per game, and ended the season with the highest point total average. Without her secured on the roster for the 2026 season, the Sun could run into more trouble next year. 

Charles has yet to announce her plans for next year, but after toying with the idea of retirement for a while now, she knows one thing- she’ll be back for the 2026 season- it’s just not confirmed who she’ll be playing for yet. If her last year on the Sun meant anything, the team’s owners should be fighting to keep her on the roster.

Her WNBA Experience Allows A Leader To Emerge Among Rookies

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Charles’ long career in the WNBA has lent her the basketball knowledge and the leadership abilities the team desperately needs right now. If she were to leave in the offseason, they’d have a huge gap to fill on and off the court. Her average of 16.3 points per game helped the team tremendously, and despite only 11 wins, there likely would have been less without her offensive prowess.

She averaged 5.8 rebounds per game with 1.7 assists, some of the highest average stats on the roster. Where many of her teammates struggled, she was able to make up for it, especially when it came to the uncertainty surrounding the rookies that the team was centered around this year.

Although she faced some injuries this year, her leadership within the Sun’s organization was critical to their late-season push, when a majority of their wins happened. 

While Charles will need some time to recover in the offseason, the Sun have a critical rebuilding period ahead of them. Working with Charles would help the team greatly, and it is in their best interest to keep her on the team. 

Although Connecticut faces an uncertain future, a solid team core will make these transition periods easier. With Charles on the roster, the team's many rookies from last season and the newcomers from the draft next year will have a better team member to look to for leadership.

Charles may only have a few seasons left on a WNBA court, but hopefully she’ll spend them with the Sun. 

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