Seattle, WA
Seattle lost a superstar, New York gained a super team
After leaving followers attempting to decipher her cryptic tweets in Taylor Swift type about the place she would find yourself subsequent season, Breanna Stewart has gone again to her residence state of New York.
Stewart signed with the Liberty on Feb. 1, after spending the final six seasons with the Seattle Storm. Stewie brings an intensive resume to New York, together with two WNBA championships, two championship MVP awards, and the 2022 scoring title. She is among the best athletes the WNBA has ever seen, and she or he’s solely 28, and simply arguably made the most important free company transfer in WNBA historical past.
Liberty loading up
Main as much as the beginning of free company, the Liberty traded for ahead Jonquel Jones from the Connecticut Solar. Jones, who’s a celebrity in her personal proper, was a transfer nobody noticed coming, and bolstered a roster that’s anchored by Sabrina Ionescu’s IQ and ability. They then added Stewart, and signed guard Courtney Vandersloot from the Chicago Sky, who is among the finest passers within the league.
New York gained items to make a deep playoff push, one thing they haven’t completed since 2002, and have subsequently created an excellent workforce that persons are desirous to see take the courtroom with the most effective beginning fives in latest historical past.
“I feel this group has a ton of potential,” mentioned Stewart to ESPN after her signing. “I feel there may be loads of wonderful gamers. The selflessness is what’s going to assist us set ourselves aside from everybody else.”
G/O Media could get a fee
58% off
Whitening Powerhouse Pen & Gel Duo
BRIGHTEN YOUR SMILE
Whiten your enamel at residence with Smileactives’ one-two punch: the Whitening Powerhouse Pen & Gel Duo. This set will get you the type of enamel brightening energy that makes use of the identical elements that dentists depend on for in-office whitening remedies for a fraction of the value.
What’s subsequent for the Storm?
The Storm, nonetheless, misplaced the most effective gamers to ever play for his or her franchise.
There’s a lot that goes into getting gamers to signal and re-sign, and it isn’t just like the Storm didn’t have the cash to maintain her. Exterior elements performed into Stewie’s resolution. Stewart’s lately retired teammate Sue Hen speculated that Stewie would signal with New York on The Ringer’s NBA Present. Hen mentioned, “She’s from Syracuse, which clearly shouldn’t be New York Metropolis, however it makes a distinction. It’s nearer. Her spouse is from Spain. It’s nearer. She has a household now. Your priorities and what you want from a workforce begin to shift and alter as a result of cash shouldn’t be the one factor at play.”
On the finish of the day, generally it simply doesn’t work out. That’s what occurred to Seattle within the Stewie sweepstakes. It simply didn’t work out.
The most effective issues about Stewart and her play type is that she will be able to play wherever she is required. Her versatility is an asset that New York will capitalize on. She will shoot, she will be able to make game-changing performs and she will be able to play unimaginable protection.
That is the primary time in six years that Seattle is not going to have Hen or Stewie. It’s not one thing they haven’t seen, as each gamers missed the 2019 season attributable to damage. The saving grace for Seattle is that they nonetheless have All-Star Jewell Loyd. Due to that, the Storm aren’t in rebuild standing perse, however in an period of loads of uncertainty. They’ve gaps of their beginning 5 that may by no means be crammed by an offseason signing. Loyd will likely be referred to as on to anchor this workforce and step up into a bigger function, one thing she has by no means needed to do taking part in with each Stewie and Hen.
Moreover, if Mercedes Russell is wholesome, she will likely be referred to as on to play a bigger function attributable to her expertise. She hasn’t seen loads of time in Seattle, however with nobody to overshadow her, she may doubtlessly put up numbers like she did at Tennessee.
It’s evident that the Storm received’t be the identical workforce they’ve been for over half a decade, which is loopy to consider as they’ve been a juggernaut for thus lengthy. They received’t end on the prime of the league like they normally do, however they received’t end on the backside of the league both. They’re in basketball limbo, and so they most likely received’t depart it till individuals see them play. A playoff push shouldn’t be out of the query, but when they don’t signal somebody quickly, the chances are slipping.
For New York although, their breakout season has been lengthy anticipated. Individuals thought Ionescu can be that deciding issue, however she couldn’t do it alone. The entrance workplace has constructed a workforce round their franchise participant who is not going to solely help her, however deliver the extent of play and poise to the next normal. For the Liberty, something in need of a visit to the finals will likely be a disappointment.