Most of the highest-impact action of WNBA free agency was reported on the week preceding the official start to free agency. Six 2024 All-Stars have switched teams in the last week; on Sunday, Kelsey Plum landed with the Los Angeles Sparks in a three-team trade that sent Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces. On Tuesday, Alyssa Thomas ended up in Phoenix after a sign-and-trade that brought Natasha Cloud to Connecticut. Then, Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones signed with the Dream, Courtney Vandersloot with the Chicago Sky, and Satou Sabally with the Dream as part of another sign-and-trade.
Everyone the Liberty, Sky, Lynx signed on the first official day of WNBA free agency
A slew of WNBA teams bolstered their rosters with role players — including Natisha Hiedeman, Kia Nurse, Kennedy Burke, and others.
Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images
Noa Dalzell is a senior writer covering the WNBA and all of women’s basketball for Breakaway, SB Nation’s women’s sports vertical, as well as the Celtics for CelticsBlog.
On Saturday, several moves became official affecting a slew of the league’s role players. Here are just a few of the transactions that came into effect.
Minnesota Lynx sign Natisha Hiedeman, French center Marième Badiane,
Natisha Hiedeman is returning to a second season with the Minnesota Lynx, per the Star Tribune’s Kent Youngblood. Hiedeman, who enters her sixth WNBA season, averaged 4.9 points and 2.4 assists per game last year. She was one of the Lynx’s most important postseason contributors, averaging 5.7 points on 45.5% shooting in 14.3 minutes off the bench in a playoff run that saw Minnesota fall just short of a championship.
Youngblood reported that the Lynx are also expected to sign French center Mariéme Badiane. Badiane is a 6’3 center who currently plays for the Turkish club Fenerbahçe, where she’s averaging 5.7 points and 2.3 assists per game. She’d likely come off the bench for the Lynx, backing up Alanna Smith.
New York Liberty re-sign Kennedy Burke
Kennedy Burke averaged 3.4 points in 12 minutes per game for the Liberty last season — and she’ll be back for another run at a championship in New York. Burke, a former 2019 second-round pick, was one of the Liberty’s reliable bench players.
The Atlanta Dream sign Shatori Walker-Kimbrough
Walker-Kimbrough played for the Washington Mystics for the last 4 seasons — and for 7 of her 9 WNBA seasons. Last year, the 29-year-old guard averaged a career-high 7.5 points per game for Washington. The Washington Post’s Kareem Copeland was the first to report the deal.
The Chicago Sky sign Kia Nurse, re-sign Michaela Onyenwere
Nurse has played for 4 WNBA teams in 6 seasons, and next year, she’ll add a 5th. ESPN reported Saturday that the 6’0 guard is headed to the Chicago Sky. Nurse averaged 7.6 points on 1.6 rebounds per game last season.
Winsidr’s Rachel Galligan also reported that the team is also re-signing Micael Onyenwere, who averaged 6.6 points and shot 36.8% from three last season.
Allen-for-Allen trade between Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun
Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times was first to report a two-team trade between the Chicago Sky and Connecticut Sun. The Sky are trading for Rebecca Allen in exchange for Lindsay Allen. (Rebecca Allen was briefly acquired by the Sun via Phoenix in the trade that sent Alyssa Thomas to the Mercury). As part of the trade, the Sun also earn the rights to forward Nikolina Milic.
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