The final stretch before the WNBA playoffs has the makings of one of the closest finishes in recent memory, thanks to a league-record 44-game schedule. Most teams have played at least 29 times already, leaving around 15 games left in the regular season. With that said, this is a jam-packed week in Swish Happens Here, so let us get straight to it.
The growth of the WNBA is undeniable in more ways than one in the past five years, and a major example is trade activity. Noteworthy players were traded midseason in consecutive seasons for the first time in over a decade. In 2014, the New York Liberty dealt DeLisha Milton-Jones to the Atlanta Dream for future Hall of Famer Swin Cash. In 2015, basketball legend Sylvia Fowles sat out the start of the season until the Chicago Sky eventually dealt her to one of the teams of her choosing, the Minnesota Lynx, on July 26 for their 2016 second-round pick and Érika de Souza.
Several teams took advantage of their current trajectories and opted to plan for the future. Others made decisions for the moment, throwing caution to the wind in a mutual attempt to maximize their championship-competing windows. Let us start from the very beginning.
“The Marina Mabrey Trade Part Deux”— Last season, the Sky sent former Notre Dame guard Marina Mabrey and their 2025 second-round pick to the Connecticut Sun for guards Rachel Banham and Moriah Jefferson, the 2025 No. 10 overall pick (Ajša Sivka later selected), and the right to swap 2026 first-rounders. This was a successful attempt for embattled Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca to reclaim assets lost in his predecessor’s deal that sent a 2023 first-round pick (Lou Lopez Senechal later selected), a 2024 first-round pick (Jacy Sheldon later selected), and the right to swap 2025 first-rounders to the Dallas Wings.
Seattle trades Li Yueru to the Wings – Li, a standout with the Chinese national team, was expected to have a sizable role off the bench for a Storm team that lacked reliable depth in its frontcourt rotation in 2024. That was not the case as Li failed to establish a sense of consistency due to infrequent opportunities on the court. In nine games, she averaged 2.8 points and 1.6 rebounds in 8.7 minutes.
On June 14, Seattle traded the 6’7” center to the Wings for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 third-rounder. In 19 games with Dallas, Li is averaging 5.9 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting 40.2 percent on twos and 37.5 percent on threes, taking 2.1 attempts per game. The versatile post has notched three double-doubles to boot. In a situation that was conducive to her efforts, they did not go unnoticed.
“Her inside-outside game, just confident in her stroke,” said Wings coach Chris Koclanes in a late June pregame presser. “She has a good touch from the perimeter and is a presence inside. The thing with Li is she’s going to give you max effort all the time. She’s going to continue to get up and down the floor, can guard big players inside, and has quicker foot speed than you think. Can keep people in front, helps us on the boards, and then again, just a versatile post player who can score around the rim. But can also stretch it out and hit some threes as you’ve seen here lately.”
As impactful as Li has been for Dallas, the move to acquire her was mainly rooted in immediate need rather than future depth beyond 2025. The team was without centers Luisa Geiselsöder and Teaira McCowan at the time due to Eurobasket commitments. With a looming expansion draft and the ability to only protect six players, assuming that the expansion rules will be the same, Wings general manager Curt Miller will most likely save rookie All-Star Paige Bueckers (duh), fellow rookie guards JJ Quinerly and Aziaha James, forward Maddy Siegrist, and Geiselsöder. That leaves Li as one of several odd players out who will be eligible for either the incoming Toronto Tempo or Portland Fire teams to select in the draft.
Aces upgrade frontcourt with Wings’ Smith – Out of the five trades executed before the deadline, the Wings were involved in the first three. The second one saw forward NaLyssa Smith shipped to the Aces for their 2027 first-round pick. My first reaction was disbelief that Las Vegas made a trade to acquire frontcourt depth around perennial MVP candidate A’ja Wilson. My second reaction was that it was Smith, a former No. 2 overall pick, standing at 6’4” with a reputation as a fierce rebounder and versatile scoring threat with her back to the basket or in face-up.
High-Low Action 👌
A’ja Wilson gets it to NaLyssa Smith for the floater
SEA-LVA | ION pic.twitter.com/e4yOXOJerI
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 9, 2025
She is also a capable three-point shooter. In her time with the Fever and Wings, the former Baylor Bear feasted on short roll opportunities, utilizing her agility and size against smaller players or true posts who lacked the foot speed. The Aces have longed for an offensive pulse next to Wilson, allowing her to play her true position at the five more consistently. On paper, Smith fit the bill.
My third thought, however, was that Las Vegas surrendered a 2027 first-round pick in what is being considered as one of the most talented draft classes of all time. Keep in mind that the team is already without a first-rounder for the 2026 draft. While I was not exactly thrilled at what was given up for asset management reasons, this is a roster with arguably the greatest player in the world on it. You do whatever it takes to extend your championship window with a talent like Wilson leading the charge. This was most likely the line of thinking by Aces president Nikki Fargas and head coach Becky Hammon. Considering what was needed for the Sun to grab Aaliyah Edwards from the Mystics, this could have been a route taken by Las Vegas, but I think it is fair to point out that Smith has experience that is paying dividends immediately, whereas the same might not be said about Edwards in a similar role.
The Aces will more than likely designate Smith as one of their six players heading into the expansion draft, and she will be a restricted free agent. At only 24 years of age, Smith has tremendous upside. Even though she has not played a full season alongside Wilson, she is already the most talented post player to have shared the same rotation as her, and her impact is evident. In her 15 games as an Ace, Smith is second on the team in total rebounds (92). Her rebounds are 10th in the league in that span. Before getting traded to Las Vegas, she had never shied away from publicly declaring Wilson as someone she looked up to, on and off the court. Anything can change, but I see no reason why she would not return.
Wings deal DiJonai Carrington to Lynx – For Dallas’ third and final act, DiJonai Carrington was traded to the Lynx for forward Diamond Miller, veteran guard Karlie Samuelson, and a 2027 second-round pick. Even if MVP candidate Napheesa Collier misses an extended period with an ankle injury sustained in last Saturday’s win over the Aces, Minnesota should waltz to the first overall seed with a seven-game lead over the Mercury at second.
Breaking: The Dallas Wings have traded guard DiJonai Carrington to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Diamond Miller, Karlie Samuelson and Minnesota’s 2027 second round pick, the team announced.
— ESPN (@espn.com) August 3, 2025 at 3:43 PM
After the Liberty officially signed Belgian star Emma Meesseman, the Lynx felt the need to make a move to bolster their roster ahead of a grueling postseason stretch. That came in the form of Carrington. Known for her defensive tenacity and shifty downhill work, the 5’11” wing could play a major role come playoff time, especially if Minnesota meets the defending champion New York Liberty in a Finals rematch.
There is always a friendly reminder that presents itself in the form of half-cooked opinions that lack context and a general knowledge of recent history regarding the WNBA. In this case, it was the takes surrounding Carrington’s move to the Lynx. While there is a rather boisterous delegation that has followed her career simply to hate on a successful Black woman, there was also a particular crowd that did not see her impact in Connecticut besides YouTube videos. She received a vote for Defensive Player of the Year and took home All-Defensive first team honors while winning the Most Improved Award. Carrington’s finishing around the rim has improved drastically each season. Her resume and skill set speak for themselves, but it was clear that not many were listening when the trade was officially announced.
In Dallas, Carrington’s role expanded into the largest she has taken on in her career. She was asked to orchestrate the offense consistently while acting as a point forward and guarding post players on the other end. Carrington has an extremely smooth handle that enables her to do these things on offense, but to do them at the level that was asked spoke to poor utilization. On defense, she is on the wing predominantly and can also handle her own in the paint against larger, stronger players. But that does not mean it should be requested with regularity. Among a host of other issues, they are in the past for Carrington.
In Minnesota, Carrington is in a system that will only ask for what she has done throughout her career: compete.
“With Nai [DiJonai], we wanted her to play without thinking and do simple things, said Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve after a win over the Storm. “The things that are innate to her is to compete. Whether it’s offensively or defensively, live in your space that you don’t play outside of yourself. That’s what we’re going to try hard to coach. We’ve coached that with everybody. I thought she did that. And her block, running in transition, that’s her. I think that’s the epitome of she’s never going to quit. That’s a competitor times ten. I’m happy for her in her first game in a Lynx and helped us win a game. We had to move some people around, and we had [Bridget] Carleton playing some four, we had a little bit of foul trouble, and we had an ankle injury. Just navigating and Nai being able to come into a group that’s already established and try to fit in. I think a lot of players come in and try not to screw up what’s going on. I feel like she did a great job of being herself. And she had some players empowering her to do those things, so, great, great first outing for her.”
Outside of trading Miller, acquiring Carrington was a low-risk move for the Lynx. Their 2027 second-round pick would have had an outside shot of making the final roster, and Samuelson is out for the season and will be an unrestricted free agent next offseason.
On Dallas’ side, the team received quite the haul for a player they did not prioritize in the present, nor the future, despite the grandiose rollout of her arrival in North Texas, as well as NaLyssa Smith. Getting Diamond Miller bodes well down the line because her ceiling is still through the roof at only 24 years old in her third season. At 6’3’’, Miller can play inside or out and has the skill set that the Wings desperately need in their young core. Despite inconsistent playing time, Miller shot 43 percent on twos and went 14-of-26 from deep.
When trading for Samuelson, there was a mutual agreement for Dallas to oversee her recovery into free agency. Normally, teams do this when there is interest in signing that player once fully healthy. As expected, that is what Winsidr’s Melissa Triewasser reported when news broke of the trade.
Storm updates offense with Brittney Sykes – The Storm was always a team I felt that would make a move ahead of the deadline. The reason is that they had three first-round draft picks in the upcoming draft to choose from, allowing them to create a trade package for an impact player upon return. That is exactly what happened as Seattle sent their own 2026 first-round pick, Alysha Clark, and Zia Cooke (recently waived) to the Mystics for Brittney Sykes.
In her esteemed career, Sykes has been the quintessential five-tool player. Her versatility gives the Storm the league’s most dynamic perimeter attacks in the WNBA with fellow All-Stars Skylar Diggins and Gabby Williams. Erica Wheeler has started 22 games since being promoted to the starting lineup over Clark and started against the Aces in Sykes’ first game with the team, which was expected. It is unclear whether Storm head coach Noelle Quinn will make a move to start Sykes over Wheeler, but you don’t trade a first-round pick for an All-Star to come off the bench.
Sykes is an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, as is most of the league. Whether she opts to re-sign with Seattle remains to be seen. However, if the team somehow wins a championship this season, I doubt there is much concern for a first-rounder being sent away. They also managed to retain the two more valuable picks heading into the most unprecedented offseason in league history. For the Mystics, getting a first-round pick for a player like Sykes, who would have most likely left in free agency, is a win in my book.
Sun send Jacy Sheldon to the Mystics for Aaliyah Edwards – Aaliyah Edwards went No. 6 overall in last year’s draft for a reason. Unfortunately, during her time in Washington, the opportunity to display why she was not enough to carve out a role long-term after the addition of All-Star rookie forward Kiki Iriafen.
With more competition in the frontcourt, Edwards came off the bench for the Mystics and averaged just 13.3 minutes, which is nearly half of the minutes she played in 2024 (21.8). Back in early June, ESPN’s Kendra Andrews and Alexa Philippou reported that the Mystics were engaged in trade conversations involving Edwards. Per league sources, Washington sought a first-round pick in return.
In her rookie year, Edwards averaged 7.6 points and 5.6 rebounds in 17 starts. Like most rookie posts in the WNBA, the former UConn Husky struggled to adjust to the level of play at times. At 23, she will have plenty of room for improvement on a Connecticut team that prioritized acquiring her.
“Bringing Aaliyah to the Connecticut Sun is more than just a roster move; it’s a statement about where we’re headed as a franchise” said Sun general manager Morgan Tuck. “Aaliyah is a transformational talent with the mindset and drive that aligns with our vision of building a championship culture. What truly sets her apart is the way she leads, connects, and competes. Aaliyah is the kind of person and player who can help redefine the future of this organization and we’re ready to build that future together.”
For Washington, Sheldon is a guard who will fit in nicely in Johnson’s system. How he puts his perimeter players in positions to succeed at what they do best reminds me of how Ohio State women’s basketball coach Kevin McGuff showcased his former combo guard. Sheldon has found confidence in her shot, and the efficiency speaks for itself. The Dublin, Ohio native is shooting 84 percent at the rim (21-for-25), 40 percent from floater range, 53 percent on twos in general, and a fiery 41.2 percent from deep on three attempts. At 5’10’’, she has the size and lateral speed to defend guards and most threes. The pick swap is still valuable — despite being 5.5 games ahead of the field– is all but guaranteed to have the last pick of the first round.
With just five wins in 2025 and only a handful of games remaining, the Connecticut Sun will have a chance to end the season with the worst record in franchise history. For the first time since 2016, they will fail to win at least 20 games. This is a stark departure from the Uncasville-based team that we have seen the past six seasons reach the WNBA Semifinals with two Finals appearances to boot. The steep fall-off should not come as a surprise, nor the way this season has panned out.
Former Sun center Brionna Jones signing with the Atlanta Dream in free agency back in February was the beginning of the end, as DeWanna Bonner signed with the Fever, and Alyssa Thomas and DiJonai Carrington were part of a four-team, league-record 10-player trade that gave the franchise a clear reset. With an identifiable and youthful core centered around Saniya Rivers, Aneesah Morrow, and Leila Lacan, Aaliyah Edwards has the chance to etch her name into the core’s timeline.
Marina Mabrey, Tina Charles, and Lindsey Allen are all unrestricted free agents, and there is no indication that the future includes any of them. If there were a player to return from this trio, it would be one of the most important figures in Sun history in Charles. She could decide to call it a career, but averaging 16.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.2 stocks at 36 makes me feel selfish for never wanting her to retire.
The Dallas Wings are 8-23 and will more than likely miss the playoffs for the second straight year, for the first time since 2020. This should not come as a surprise to anyone when the team has been in the lottery for nearly as long as it has been in North Texas. With that said, Wings general manager Curt Miller has quite the arsenal of assets at his disposal to get Dallas soaring once again. After trading Carrington and Smith, Miller reaped in a 2027 first-round pick, a 2027 second-round pick, and a promising talent in Diamond Miller. This is on top of a 40 percent chance at the first overall pick in the upcoming draft in the spring. Some would say this is quite the stockpile to take into the future with rookie sensation Paige Bueckers at the helm and a strong chance that superstar guard Arike Ogunbowale returns next season.
WOW, this is just unfair from Paige Bueckers
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero.bsky.social) August 6, 2025 at 2:34 AM
Unlike the Wings, the Sky lacks a level of control over the immediate future in the Windy City. Owning the right to swap picks with the Sun from the Mabrey trade, Chicago will most likely end up picking at the end of the lottery. To say the 2025 season has not gone as planned would be a grave understatement. Franchise icon Courtney Vandersloot tore her ACL after just seven games after returning to Chicago after two years with the Liberty. Superstar forward Angel Reese has been sidelined with a back injury suffered against the Mystics on July 29. Ariel Atkins has missed an extended period from July into August with a leg injury and has played in two games since returning to the starting lineup.
The vision that embattled Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca sought for his young core’s development with veterans and rookie head coach Tyler Marsh fizzled out before taking form on the court. But the direction in general still raises questions on why it was handled in the fashion that it was, with the players acquired in the offseason.
What the Mystics have accomplished in year one of their rebuild under general manager Jamila Wideman and head coach Sydney Johnson is nothing short of extraordinary. To most, Washington was expected to dwell in the basement of the WNBA’s standings, yet sit only one game behind the eighth-seeded Golden State Valkyries for the final playoff berth.
Wideman and Johnnson, the new dynamic duo on the block, were suited and booted three of the first five picks in the 2025 draft that turned into Georgia Amoore(suffered season-ending ACL tear in training camp), Sonia Citron, and Kiki Iriafen. Saying picking players that high is easy could not be farther from the truth. From 2017 to 2024, the Wings were gifted 17 first-round picks and only two remain on the roster in Arike Ogunbowale and Maddy Siegrist.
Washington hit a home run with All-Star rookie duo. Receiving Seattle’s 2026 first-round pick and the right to swap 2026 first-rounders with the Liberty, the Mystics will have three first-rounders next spring once again. The picks might not be as high as in 2024, but the masterclass in asset management is pretty clear.
The Sparks have quickly turned into one of the main stories of the league. Winning eight of their last nine games, Los Angeles leads the WNBA in winning percentage, points per game, and field-goal percentage while placing third in three-point percentage and assists per game. Since this stretch of games started on July 13, Kelsey Plum is third in scoring (21.2 PPG), Rickea Jackson is 10th (18.8), and Azura Stevens is 16th (16 PPG).
What fascinates me about Los Angeles while on their hot streak is their defensive rating (107.9), which is the second-worst in the WNBA in the last nine games. Whether the late-game heroics are enough to win a playoff series, should they make it there, defense has been an issue all season, and it does not just go away.
The Sparks are hot. 🔥
LA is the first team in league history to score 100 or more points in five of their last six games. pic.twitter.com/nt2TJlzsoY
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) August 8, 2025
Despite losing All-Star forward Kayla Thornton to a knee injury right before the break, the Valkyries are treading water in her absence, going 4-3 since. With one of the easiest schedules to close out the 2025 season, Golden State will need every win they can muster as three teams are jockeying for the final two playoff berths. Regardless of what happens at the end of the season, the Valkyries will look back on 2025 and realize that they laid the blueprint for incoming expansion franchises. Whether teams can replicate the level of success that the Bay is experiencing remains to be seen.
After the Olympic break last season, the Storm lost five of the first five games when play resumed. After the All-Star break this season, the team has lost six of its first eight games. In that span, it also has the fifth-worst defensive rating in the league while owning the second-best defensive rating. There is no clear reason for as many losses in single/two-possession games other than pure exhaustion, but a 44-game schedule where four of your five starters are in the top 20 for minutes played, the explanation becomes clearer.
Talk about getting hot at the right time. The Aces have won five of their last six games, including a close victory over the Storm to move them into sole possession of the sixth seed. A’ja Wilson is looking like the MVP that she always has this season, but Las Vegas’ record stood in the way of any serious conversation taking place. However, with only two games between the Aces and Mercury for the fourth seed, a general inquiry into what the Most Valuable Player award means will be necessary.
The Fever cannot catch a break this season. Star guard Caitlin Clark has been out of the lineup with a groin injury and has no timetable to return. Sydney Colson tore her ACL, and Aari McDonald broke her foot in a loss to the Sparks. The Fever sits at nine healthy players and is unable to sign a replacement player until after facing off against the Sky today in Indianapolis. As far as the playoffs, gauging Indiana’s possibilities with roughly a third of the season left to play is not an easy task. The team has shown it can win games without Clark, but winning a series is a different beast.
The Mercury’s star trio of Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally, and Kahleah Copper have played the fewest minutes of any superstar collective in the league this season due to injuries. The rust between the three is visible, but has not reached a level that causes concern yet. When your MVP candidate drops three triple-doubles in less than a week, you can breathe a tad bit easier. No championship contender is complete at the moment. Rhyne Howard has yet to return from a knee injury sustained last month. Breanna Stewart, Kennedy Burke, and Nyara Sabally have all missed extended periods. Napheesa Collier is expected to return in the next few weeks after injuring her ankle. The final stretch for playoff seeding will prove to be crucial.
Dream star Rhyne Howard has been sidelined since mid-July with a knee injury that kept her out of the All-Star Game. The team has found a way to not only stay competitive but also challenge the Mercury for the third seed by winning seven of their last 10 games. With MVP candidate Allisha Gray at the controls, she is averaging 19.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.8 stocks in the 10 games without Howard. This is no slight to Howard or to say that Atlanta is better with Gray than Howard, which I have seen quite often and never fails to boggle my mind.
Allisha Gray is making a helluva case to be 1st team All-WNBA this season. Every time I tune in she’s putting in work. She had 13p 4r and 3a in the 1st half tonight in Dallas.
— Daniel Thompson (@dr-thompson.bsky.social) July 31, 2025 at 3:11 AM
After losing three straight games since 2022 without Breanna Stewart due to a knee injury, the defending champion Liberty bounced back immediately with a three-game win streak. The three wins were not the prettiest by any stretch of the imagination, with two close finishes against the Wings and Sun, but New York is one of the few teams in the league that you give a hall pass to and wait until the playoffs get here. That is the case for my concern level on the Libs.
The Lynx are without their star player in Napheesa Collier, but the mission has not changed. That is simply because the best coach in the Association resides in Minneapolis. It takes a village to run an operation like Minnesota, and Lynx legends Rebekkah Brunson and Lindsay Whalen hold down the fort and play irreplaceable roles in terms of personnel. The reason that Minnesota is 2-0 after tough wins over the Storm and Mystics is rooted in the culture that head coach Reeve and her staff have cultivated. It also does not hurt to trade for a seasoned playoff performer like DiJonai Carrington, who has excelled since being traded to the Lynx.
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Born and raised in Chicago, Christan Braswell is a women’s sports journalist with a focus on the WNBA and women’s college basketball. He’s an avid fan of elevator screens and stuffed crust pizza. Outside of sports, he’s an avid cook and lover the great outdoors.
Well dear readers, we’ve finally made it back to our favorite place. Our beloved NWSL is back, and it gave us very little drama, until Sunday, when we got a […]
