To build up, I will be going in reverse order from the standings a season ago. After a surprise run to the WNBA Finals, the mood in Connecticut should be positive. However, with so much off-season turnover, the question remains. Is the Sun setting?

2022 Recap

It was always going to be a weird year. Three years ago, Alyssa Thomas was the top option with Jonquel Jones taking off the bubble season. In 2021, AT missed the season and Jones skyrocketed to MVP status. With both sharing the court for the full season, combined with the continued emergence of Brionna Jones, it was time to see how everyone looked together.

The results are more complicated than normal and tend to depend on the angle from which you want to look. One win out of the top seed in the league, the Sun finished second in offensive and defensive rating. Even with Jasmine Thomas missing all but five games, the Sun were as elite as ever. 

That being said, they were not without question marks. Coming off an MVP, Jonquel Jones did not look the same. Her numbers went down across the board: 14.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game. As good as she was a season before, this team reverted to being Alyssa Thomas’ team.

The mixed bag continued throughout the roster. Jasmine Thomas was missed for most of the season, Natisha Hiedeman cemented herself as a starter. DeWanna Bonner continued to see her numbers drop. Bri Jones, per 36 minutes, continued to ascend. 

As always, the most important member of the team was Alyssa Thomas. The Engine takes Connecticut to another level.

Total Eclipse

Alyssa Thomas was a revelation for much of the year. Her stats often do not tell the full story. Averaging 13.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.7 steals…those numbers are good, but not the normal stats you would see from an MVP candidate. 

Watching from game to game, however, it is easy to see. She did not earn the nickname “Engine” by accident. Everything ran through her. When Jasmine Thomas went out, AT became the de facto point guard, despite often sharing the court with Hiedeman.

The only player that did not seem to immediately get better from the usage rate of Thomas was the reigning MVP. Figuring out how to balance both of them was a consistent concern for former head coach Curt Miller. It worked well enough, obviously, given the run to the Finals. But there were notable times, even in the playoffs, when things were bristling. Which led to plenty of change during the offseason.

Offseason Overview

Out: Jonquel Jones, Jasmine Thomas, Courtney Williams, Joyner Holmes, Odyssey Sims

In: Rebecca Allen, Tyasha Harris, Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Lauren Cox (training camp), Tiffany Hayes

Re-Signed: Brionna Jones, Natisha Hiedeman

2023 Draft: Alexis Morris, Ashten Prechtel 

Included but not outlined above, Curt Miller leaving as the leader of this team is a drastic shift. He won 60 percent or more of games in five of his seven seasons. He made two trips to the Finals. It will be tough for new coach Stephanie White to replicate. With a Finals appearance on her own resume, however, she stands a chance. 

The rest of the roster is notably different. There is no replacing a player like Jonquel Jones, but more clearly outlining the roles for Thomas and Bri Jones will do wonders. Courtney Williams was not a great fit on the team, and turning her place on the roster into depth should go a long way. 

Rebecca Allen is a career 36.9 percent shooter from distance, a boon for the team that attempted the second fewest triples in the league last season. Tyasha Harris is worth investing time in as a backup guard who never go enough of a chance in Dallas. Olivia Nelson-Ododa is an exciting young big who looked good in limited minutes in LA last year. If Lauren Cox makes the team, they will be a fun pair of bigs off the bench. 

Tiffany Hayes is the big swing of the offseason though. The former All-Star could have easily made her second appearance last season and comes in as the most dynamic scorer on the current roster. Fit is already drastically improved on this roster from a season ago and Hayes is going to thrive. 

Prediction: 

Tell me if you have heard this before: the Connecticut Sun will make the WNBA Semi-Finals. They will remain an elite defense while improving offensively. Alyssa Thomas will get the MVP while continuing to climb up the all-time triple-doubles list. While a title still feels unlikely, they will remain in the conversation.

The post Connecticut Sun: 2023 Season Preview appeared first on Swish Theory.

To build up, I will be going in reverse order from the standings a season ago. Today, we are tackling a team that started to clean its slate in the middle of last season and now seems to be heading in a much more positive direction. Los Angeles was something of a mess last season and saw their two most polarizing figures move on. Let’s start there.

2022 Recap

Let’s be honest. No one liked Derek Fisher. Fans complained about him from the time he came until the time he left. He was an unpopular figure as both coach and general manager. Add that to the fact that he is linked heavily to franchise cornerstones Candance Parker and Chelsea Gray leaving to win titles elsewhere, no one is likely to miss the former Laker guard. 

This season was a mixed bag even beyond Fisher. 

Lexie Brown came to the team and evolved into one of the best shooters in the league. Among players shooting at least three 3-pointers per game over at least 20 games, she posted the eighth-highest (39.8) percentage in the league. She went from looking to catch on, to establishing a home. 

Then there was Slim. Brittney Sykes has been one of the best defensive guards in the league for the last few years. Again she led the league in assists (2.0) and made All-Defensive First Team. Her presence will be tough for the team to replicate. 

On the other end of the spectrum, the Liz Cambage experience was about as chaotic as one would expect. While still being productive, it was clear it was not going to work. Attitude concerns have been commonplace for years with the former star. As the story of racist comments during Olympic scrimmages continued to develop, things went from bad to worse. Cambage has alleged that her departure from both the Australian National Team and the WNBA was due to mental health reasons.

A midseason contract divorce and subsequent retirement from the WNBA concluded the saga. Combine that with the preseason treatment and suspension of Amanda Zahui B. and this is clearly a choice the organization will be happy to move on from. 

Return to Form

It was great to have the Ogwumike sisters on the court together. 

Nneka played a full season for the first time since 2019, leading to her return to the All-Star Game. Finishing tied for second in the league in stats (1.7 per game) while averaging 18.1 points and 6.6 rebounds, the former MVP was special. 

It was easy to leave her off of MVP ballots this season given the record of the team. A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, and others were having tremendous seasons in winning situations. But Nneka belonged right in that conversation.  

How much more could you really ask for? As the team reloads this season, this kind of chemistry and willingness to pass out of your shot for someone else’s better shot will be essential. Chiney, for her part, also played more games than she had since 2019. She is still a valued teammate living her best life playing with her sister.  

Offseason Overview

Out: Kristi Tolliver, Amanda Zahui B., Brittney Sykes, Kianna Smith, Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Jasmine Walker

In: Azura Stevens, Dearica Hamby, Jasmine Thomas, Stephanie Talbot

2023 Draft: #10, #14, #26

Re-Signed: Nneka Ogwumike, Chiney Ogwumike, Jordin Canada, Lexie Brown

When it comes to change, the Los Angeles Sparks will not get mentioned alongside the super teams or the teardowns, but they should be. Sykes moving on is a big deal. However, beyond that negative, the overall infusion of talent is immense.

Azura Stevens had a legitimate shot at the Sixth Woman of the Year award. She always deserved more than a bench role, but Chicago was not able to give her one. Her tenacity turned into her getting that opportunity elsewhere.

Jasmine Thomas may be coming off a major injury, but she is an amazing leader. If she is able to return to form on the court in any way, the Sparks are getting a point-of-attack genius. She is an extension of new coach Curt Miller on the court, making the transition that much easier.

Speaking of Miller, the upgrade from Fisher to Miller is unspeakable. It has become commonplace to mock the Sun for not getting over the final hurdle. It ignores the fact that in his tenure the team won 60 percent of their games, made two WNBA Finals, two semi-finals, and only missed the playoffs once. They were a top-five defensive unit in each of the last five years. He is going to change this team noticeably.

Finally, there is Dearica Hamby. As a former Sixth Woman of the Year and All-Star, when Hamby returns from pregnancy she will be a boon for this roster. The controversy surrounding the Aces’ handling of her is something the league is and should continue to investigate. For the Sparks, the only thing they need to do is be patient. Hamby is a star and will fit right in whenever she is ready.

Prediction

The Sparks look like a more professional organization this season. Making the push into the postseason got a little easier with teams like Chicago and Seattle taking a noticeable step back, but it will still not be easy. Banking on Hamby and Thomas to return to form quickly would be essential.

Perhaps it will finally be time for belief in Chennedy Carter to be rewarded. The potential still jumps off the page three years in. Maybe a new coach can help unlock everything fans have been waiting to see from Hollywood.

As far as team success, sneaking into the back end of the playoffs still feels like the ceiling. If I were to place a bet on it, give me Nneka and Coach Miller getting this organization back on track.

The post Los Angeles Sparks: 2023 Season Preview appeared first on Swish Theory.