Welcome to part 2 of our midseason mailbag! If you missed Part 1, check it out for bigger league topics. In this edition, we’re getting into team-specific queries.
(Questions have been lightly edited for clarity and length.)
What can the Storm do to put themselves in the title conversation, and how plausible (is) it that they could rise to the second seed? – Cole H.
Why do you think the Seattle Storm have been so inconsistent this season with big wins over New York, Minnesota, Atlanta, Phoenix, but with some really bad losses to Connecticut, Dallas, and Golden State? … Also, should they trade draft assets to make a move at the deadline or keep all 3 first-round picks to build for the future around Malonga, Ezi Magbegor, and Jordan Horston? – Jeff B.
Seattle hasn’t been good enough offensively to win a championship. Despite all of the coach-speak about defense winning titles, the best teams in the WNBA can score the ball. The Storm move the ball well, don’t turn it over and hit a high percentage of 2-pointers. Where they could stand to improve is on the offensive glass and getting to the free-throw line, as well as taking more 3s. Ideally, offensive rebounding can unlock both of those options, as many fouls are called on box-outs, and 3-pointers off of second chances convert at a higher rate.
It’s difficult to remake a roster at the trade deadline, especially since Seattle’s biggest movable salary is in veteran Alysha Clark, who has an important locker room presence and likely signed with the Storm to finish her career where it started. One thing I would like to see from Seattle is jumbo lineups with all three of Nneka Ogwumike, Ezi Magbegor and Dominique Malonga. The Storm could bludgeon the glass to create second chances, and Ogwumike is a decent enough shooter to avoid compromising spacing. Plus, playing that trio alongside Gabby Williams and Skylar Diggins would be an intimidating defensive lineup, especially if Seattle used them in a zone — just imagine the plays Williams could make in that system.
Milestone moment for Dom 😤 pic.twitter.com/RGL4fZDBNG
— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) August 3, 2025
The Storm aren’t alone in their inconsistencies. Outside of Minnesota (which even lost to Chicago), everyone has had regular ups and downs. Coach Noelle Quinn attributed this to more league-wide parity and the increased game cadence, making it harder to be ready to go on any given night. Given that inconsistency, and Seattle facing the second-hardest remaining schedule, my guess is the Storm land outside of the top four in the final regular-season standings.
After reporting about Mystics looking to trade Aaliyah Edwards, she went on to perform well for them before her current injury, is there any more movement on that front? Do we think a team in playoff contention would make a move? Surely her recent play would drive up what the Mystics could potentially get for her. — Anna D.
Given the confusion about how protection rules work with this year’s expansion draft, how should the Mystics handle the trade deadline. Emily Engstler’s play of late would presumably make Aaliyah Edwards expendable, but does trading her (for picks or a young prospect also on a rookie deal) make much sense? — Jayson W.
Washington is in an enviable position. The Mystics have a boatload of good young players and some extra draft picks in the can. Furthermore, ownership seems content to give the rebuild process time. That means even with redundancies in the roster, Washington doesn’t have to rush to move Aaliyah Edwards. Unless the Mystics get a compelling offer — it has to be at least two first-round picks, or an equally exciting young player — they can keep Edwards around. Stefanie Dolson won’t be on the team for long, and it’s also good to have depth beyond Shakira Austin and Kiki Iriafen.
It’s hard to find an ideal landing spot for Edwards because power forward is the fulcrum of almost every WNBA roster; every good team already has a four of the future. Connecticut would be an interesting trading partner because the Sun have young guards and a center in Olivia Nelson-Ododa, but no power forward (depending on your positional classification of Aneesah Morrow at the pro level). Whether Connecticut is interested in surrendering draft assets at this stage of their rebuild is an open question, and if the Sun move to Boston, the UConn connection might not be as attractive.
Regarding the expansion draft, this is the one disadvantage the Mystics have with so many young players. Assuming the rules are similar to the Golden State draft — though several league executives have expressed that they are as in the dark as we are — Washington’s six protected players would most likely be Georgia Amoore, Austin, Citron, Edwards, Iriafen and Brittney Sykes. Moving Edwards for future draft picks would allow the organization to protect any of Emily Engstler, Sika Koné, Jade Melbourne or Lucy Olsen. With all due respect to those four, none is necessitating an Edwards trade at this time. Unless the front office is really high on Engstler, I still think Edwards is the better prospect.
Why do you think L.A. has been able to turn it around recently? — Merf E.
Health and schedule strength have been the biggest factors in the Sparks’ recent surge. It’s boring, but it’s true.
L.A. toggled through Odyssey Sims, Shey Peddy and Grace Berger at point guard to start the season — in addition to Kelsey Plum at the one, an extra burden when she is also the team’s leading scorer — while Julie Allemand dealt with injury and then went to EuroBasket. Now that she is back, Allemand is the stabilizing force Lynne Roberts’ offense needs. When Allemand plays, L.A.’s offensive rating is 109.0 points per 100 possessions, right behind Minnesota for best in the league. The Sparks were also without Rae Burrell for seven weeks and Rickea Jackson with a concussion at the start of the season. Now, they have 40 minutes of consistent wing play. Replacing Mercedes Russell with Cameron Brink — even returning from an ACL — is also an upgrade.
This recent stretch of six wins in seven games started with four wins against Connecticut and Washington. The Sun and Mystics have had their moments, but it’s certainly an easier slate than playing Minnesota four times, which L.A. has already done.
Allemand is back with the Sparks, and she’s become a stabilizing force. (Brien Aho / Getty Images)
How on earth is Jeff Pagliocca still employed? His many bad moves have handicapped this franchise for the next decade. Making your 2026 FRP a swap to move up one spot and get Angel Reese, trading your 2027 swap for the No. 3 pick (Sonia Citron) and removing protections from the 2026 pick (semi-defensible, it was conveying anyway) for HVL were all bad moves.
They could (have) stayed pat for Reese, and Atkins could very easily walk this offseason, leaving Chicago with nothing to show for a win-now trade that led to the Mystics winning now and later (that 2027 swap could gift Juju Watkins to D.C.).
That’s a level of GM malpractice typically only seen in the NBA, but at least the NBA has rules to stop GMs from themselves. The W might need its own Stepien Rule. — Jayson W.
A lot to get into here, but the first is that the WNBA does have its own version of the Stepien rule. In the NBA, teams cannot be without first-round picks in consecutive years. In the WNBA, a team has to own at least one first-round pick in a three-year window. For example, the Las Vegas Aces have already traded away their 2026 and 2027 first-rounders (for Jewell Loyd and NaLyssa Smith, respectively), so they cannot move their 2028 first-round pick until the 2026 draft is over and they have access to their 2029 selection.
In terms of the Chicago Sky, suffice to say this season has not gone as well as hoped after the Sky made some aggressive moves to start 2025. But in Pagliocca’s defense, I also believed in some of Chicago’s vision. Tyler Marsh was one of the best coaches on the market, and his Aces counterpart, Natalie Nakase, has crushed it in Golden State. Courtney Vandersloot seemed like a smart signing, as was the deal to swap Lindsay Allen for Rebecca Allen. Moving up to draft Angel Reese also has to be a win — you can play chicken with Minnesota, but it’s a risk, and Reese is really, really good. Flipping Mabrey at last year’s deadline to get first-round swap rights with Connecticut in 2026 has also aged well.
The one move that was a disaster in the moment was the Ariel Atkins trade, and it looks worse with every passing day. Mortgaging the future to that extent (the asset cost was No. 3 in 2025 and a first-round swap in the 2027 draft) is only acceptable for an MVP, and Atkins is not that. She’s arguably already worse than the player selected in her spot, Citron, and that’s before considering their contract statuses; Citron is under team control at a low value for at least three more years while Atkins is an unrestricted free agent. There is no forgiving that move. It’s unlikely Chicago parts ways with Pagliocca so early in his tenure, as this is only his second season, but he has to be on thin ice.
Is Chicago’s GM on thin ice? (Randy Belice / NBAE via Getty Images)
How and why do the Aces operate without a general manager? If the positions of head coach, general manager and president of basketball operations are typically full-time jobs, how does it work for Becky (Hammon) and Nikki Fargas to absorb that role? Could that be contributing to the Aces’ struggles this season? Is there a benefit to this arrangement and/or a history of it in other sports contexts? — Inocb99
It was only about four years ago that a majority of WNBA teams were governed by a combo head coach and general manager. The season was short enough that it allowed one individual to focus on short-term priorities while games were being played and long-term team-building during the offseason. This arrangement also allowed WNBA ownership to save some money, paying one person for two jobs.
Over the last few years, the league has become more professionalized. Front offices have expanded, and the season has grown in length. The only person in the league doing both jobs is Minnesota’s Cheryl Reeve, and she has a long enough track record in both roles that there are few if any complaints about her doubling up. The Las Vegas situation is a little different because it let go of general manager Natalie Williams in the offseason and never replaced her. Team president Nikki Fargas has essentially been fulfilling that role in addition to her responsibilities related to the business of the Aces.
That’s a mistake. Williams wasn’t perfect in her tenure — guaranteeing Kierstan Bell’s fourth-year option was a bad call — but she kept the core four intact and on team-friendly deals while bringing in key role players for the back-to-back titles, including Alysha Clark and Cayla George. Things have spiraled since, and it’s hard not to equate the roster-building woes with the lack of designated front office personnel. Other than one vice president of basketball operations, it’s unclear who else is helping make these decisions: leaving Kate Martin unprotected in the expansion draft. Losing Clark, Tip Hayes and Sydney Colson in free agency. Overpaying for Jewell Loyd in the Kelsey Plum trade. Giving up a 2027 first-round pick for NaLyssa Smith. They are all bad moves.
The reason the WNBA moved past the dual-role arrangement is that it was too much work for one person. Las Vegas could easily rectify this problem — there are many qualified assistant general managers around the league — but hasn’t.
Give us your top 3 or 4 trade ideas with the trade deadline coming up. … Which coaches or GMs are/should be on the hot seat entering the second half of the season? — Robin W.
Check out our episode of No Offseason for our best fake trades!
Given that eight coaches are in their first year on the job, I wouldn’t expect any of them to be on the hot seat. Reeve has permanent job security, while Hammon and Sandy Brondello have won titles recently enough not to worry. Nate Tibbetts also seems to have the backing in Phoenix, especially since Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper consistently praise him, so the coach to keep an eye on would be Noelle Quinn. Seattle hasn’t won a playoff game since losing Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird, and the talent on the roster would suggest the Storm can do better. Quinn is beloved by her players but was outcoached by Hammon in 2022, the one time she had a team that could realistically win a title. If Seattle is an early playoff exit yet again, maybe the Storm will attempt to upgrade.
In terms of general managers on the hot seat, this is again a position with a lot of new faces. Pagliocca would seem to be in the most dire of circumstances, but if he had the organizational go-ahead to trade for Atkins, there must be some confidence in him.
Is it just me who feels like the Minnesota Lynx are missing a piece to win it all? … What makes the Lynx so good defensively is that they don’t play a lumbering center, effectively running two power forwards at all times (Collier, Smith, Shepard or even Kliundikova). Does Minnesota bite the bullet before the trade deadline and get a real center that can bang with the Joneses, Griners and Cardosos of the league, or should they stick to their guns? — Roberteaglesaner
This question was sent in before the DiJonai Carrington trade, so clearly, Minnesota also agreed that it was a player short. I really like the idea of bringing in a wing instead of a big, though I would have preferred a player who was a better shooter to keep the Lynx offense humming (perhaps Rebecca Allen). Even so, this move helps Minnesota add some supplementary ballhandling, a dynamite athlete in transition who attacks the rim — which the Lynx don’t have — and a great perimeter defender. Carrington has playoff experience and is comfortable coming off the bench. She also is purely additive, since Reeve didn’t trust Diamond Miller and Karlie Samuelson was out for the season. Adding to the team’s perimeter versatility makes more sense than changing their identity altogether.
(Photo of Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogumike: Soobum Im / Getty Images)