With 2020 free agency in the WNBA having commenced, the real multi-month buildup to the season has started as everyone now anticipates which free agents will sign with which teams.
While there are a plethora of free agents out there such as Elena Delle Donne, Chelsea Gray, Liz Cambage and Sue Bird, two names at the top of everyone’s minds on the free agency topic are Skylar Diggins-Smith and Angel McCoughtry.
The Dallas Wings cored Skylar Diggins-Smith and she revealed in an interview with the Associated Press that her days representing Texas’ WNBA team have come to a close.
Greg Bibb, Wings general manager, also spoke with the AP and said the organization has a number of options at its disposal, including working out a sign-and-trade deal or a multi-year deal. He said that on the 16th day of the 2020 season, Dallas could trade her if none of their other options pans out.
Diggins-Smith’s desire to leave Dallas marks the second consecutive offseason that one of the Wings’ major players wanted out of DFW. After a stressful offseason between the 2018 and 19 season that was dominated by rumors of a trade to either the Las Vegas Aces or Los Angeles Sparks, Cambage was eventually traded to the Aces before the 2019 season.
Earlier this offseason, Diggins-Smith expressed her frustration with the organization in tweets alleging the Wings did not support her enough while pregnant with her child. She sat out all of last year due to pregnancy and even tweeted that she played the entire 2018 season while expecting.
The organization likely hoped that the opportunity to play alongside Arike Ogunbowale, who also played under Muffet McGraw at Notre Dame as did Diggins-Smith may have been enough to entice her to give the Wings another chance. Obviously it has not been.
Possible destinations for Diggins-Smith include Indiana, Minnesota, Los Angeles and New York. The Fever make sense because of the Notre Dame connection and they are a young team on the rise with a few veterans in Candice Dupree and Erica Wheeler. Adding Diggins-Smith could be what they need to break through to the postseason in 2020.
Minnesota may take a closer eye at her now after news broke that Odyssey Sims is likely not to play in 2020. The Sparks getting Diggins-Smith would add another veteran to a team already rich in veteran talent (even after Alana Beard’s retirement), but the Sparks have another item on its wish list – hiring a general manager.
As for the Liberty, Diggins-Smith in New York may be more beneficial to her than the team. Yes, she has the Roc Nation Sports Deal, but the Libs are in the midst of a youth movement between Kia Nurse, Asia Durr and Sabrina Ionescu coming down the pike after the draft.
As for Angel McCoughtry, her career as of late has been hampered by injury – including sitting out the 2018 postseason when the Atlanta Dream came within one win of the WNBA Finals that season as well as the entire 2019 campaign.
McCoughtry recently made her return for Dynamo Kursk overseas. She scored eight points and shot four of nine from the field in a 70-53 defeat to Famila Schio. McCoughtry also grabbed three rebounds.
On the free agency front, McCoughtry will now be a name to watch. Unlike Diggins-Smith, the Dream opted not to core McCoughtry and allow her to sign wherever she chooses.
Official statement on Angel McCoughtry. pic.twitter.com/aKaYFiItHc
— Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) January 28, 2020
The Dream have to know the position they are putting themselves in by allowing McCoughtry to test the free agent waters. Atlanta knows full well that she is arguably the Aaron Rodgers of the WNBA – with her, the Dream can bring a championship to the ATL. Without her, they are a lottery team.
McCoughtry may be another possible candidate to sign with Indiana for a reason having absolutely nothing to do with basketball. She recently expanded her ice cream shop business to Louisville, which is only a short two-hour drive from Indy. McCoughtry also played her college ball with the Cardinals under Jeff Walz before she became a household name in the Big Peach.
Minnesota could also inquire as they could about Diggins-Smith, but the Lynx are in the midst of a transition from being a veteran-laden team to one that has more youth. The same, once again, rings true with New York.
McCoughtry suited up for the Dream’s season finale vs. the Liberty on Sept. 8 but did not take the court.
