Even though reports last week indicated that a seismic shift would happen within the WNBA landscape with Candace Parker joining the Chicago Sky, an official announcement would not occur until February 1 at the earliest as that is the first day that teams could officially sign free agents.
As expected, the big news did come from the Sky on February 1 with the revelation that, indeed, the Wβs CP3 was heading home to the Windy City.
Welcome home, @Candace_Parker π#skytown pic.twitter.com/itHhROQIjp
β Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) February 1, 2021
CHICAAAAGOOOOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/5wKvx7kl7m
β Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) February 2, 2021
You have NO idea what this means to me. I have always been a fan of the bulls and now to be in the same city just means more. THANK YOU https://t.co/5AWt28BoWH
β Candace Parker (@Candace_Parker) February 2, 2021
DaBearrrrsssssssππΎππΎ https://t.co/E4LGXZL3qq
β Candace Parker (@Candace_Parker) February 2, 2021
π pic.twitter.com/IGeRBj1Xhx
β Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) February 2, 2021
Our very own @Candace_Parker is headed home π pic.twitter.com/WpkBkJ6bAX
β NBA TV (@NBATV) February 1, 2021
Our exclusive interview with @Candace_Parker coming up 4:45pm @nbcchicago @chicagosky https://t.co/vNSMgvbIgv
β Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) February 1, 2021
LET’S DO IT, #SKYTOWN! πͺ
Who else is ready for @Candace_Parker to take the court in blue? π pic.twitter.com/U9VoLWqef1
β Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) February 1, 2021
Full circle for @Candace_Parker ππ pic.twitter.com/fVreFaTxI9
β WNBA (@WNBA) February 1, 2021
Signing Parker to a multi-year deal vaults the Sky from simply being darkhorses to firm championship contenders. Chicago, under James Wade (the 2019 Coach of the Year) have gone from one game shy of making the WNBA semifinals to another postseason appearance last year in the bubble.
Parker joins a stacked roster that already included Courtney Vandersloot, Allie Quigley, Diamond DeShields, Stefanie Dolson and Gabby Williams in addition to last yearβs first-round draft pick in Ruthy Hebard.
ππππ£π ππ€πͺ πΎππ£ππππ π@Candace_Parker | #CP3 pic.twitter.com/TLuu6WlE4y
β Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) February 1, 2021
βππ’π§π ππ€π§ππ«ππ§ ππ§ππ©πππͺπ‘ ππ€π§ π©πππ¨ ππ§π π€π ππ₯ππ§π π¨ πππ¨π ππ©πππ‘π‘ π¬ππ©π πΎππ£ππππ πππ§π ππ§.β
Sparks CEO & Governor Eric Holoman & the Sparks Ownership Group on the departure of @Candace_Parker.#GoSparks pic.twitter.com/70RWe5uamS
β Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) February 1, 2021
What when they donβt appreciate your worth looks like. Iβm happy for my friend and teammate that sheβs going back HOME!!! but @LASparks no thatβs your legacy https://t.co/NbOwc8wk1b
β DWade (@DwyaneWade) January 28, 2021
The Sky will be getting well-acquainted with its new βC. Parkerβ while another βC. Parkerβ departed. As Candace heads back home, Cheyenne will be heading south as she joins the Atlanta Dream.
ICYMI: We signed Cheyenne Parker to a multi-year contract today.
Details π https://t.co/pxV1nZaM5T#GoDream pic.twitter.com/VaTxzL30r3
β Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) February 1, 2021
Welcome to new Atlanta π¨ pic.twitter.com/JZaecYghL3
β Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) February 1, 2021
Put her name up in lights.
CP32 is coming to Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/c9r7143fgM
β Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) February 1, 2021
Ah, that’s better π pic.twitter.com/Uvj7qD2T1W
β Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) February 1, 2021
π£οΈ HEY ATLANTA
Help us welcome Cheyenne Parker to the Dream!
π° https://t.co/OpyyXvd8Ux#GoDream pic.twitter.com/zbCkZklNjG
β Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) February 1, 2021
So far, free agency has started anything but auspiciously for the Indiana Fever. A top priority going into the free agency period for Tamika Catchings and company in Indiana was re signing its veteran core that includes Candice Dupree, Erica Wheeler and Natalie Achonwa.
The Fever, it appears, will go 0 for 3. Dupree is not returning, Wheeler will be with the Sparks, and Achonwa will be headed to Minnesota.
Letβs go!!!! @DistinctionAge for the TAKE OVER! https://t.co/3TIjNpBBLw
β γ² Erica Wheeler γ² (@EWeezy_For3eezy) February 2, 2021
π¨π¦π¨π¦π¨π¦π¨π¦π¨π¦π¨π¦π¨π¦π¨π¦
WELCOME TO MINNESOTA, @NatAchon!!
β Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) February 2, 2021
Indiana needed those veterans as an anchor for a rebuilding team that has done plenty of rebuilding through the draft in recent seasons since Catchings retired and joined the Fever front office. The news was not all bad in the Hoosier State, though.
OFFICIAL: We have signed Jantel Lavender (@jlav42) to a multi-year contract π₯
π° Β» https://t.co/ilkzGGoRS9#WNBAFreeAgency pic.twitter.com/kVYKOI2OXA
β Indiana Fever βΉοΈβββπ (@IndianaFever) February 1, 2021
Tamika Catchings in today’s availability for the Jantel Lavender signing said she doesn’t want to be in the draft lottery ever again.
β Kurtis (@fromkurtis) February 1, 2021
Jantel Lavender said she first requested a trade to @IndianaFever back in 2014 #WNBA
β Howard Megdal (@howardmegdal) February 1, 2021
Of course, that 2014 season was one year prior to when the Fever last reached the WNBA Finals.
As for Minnesota, a couple of seasons ago after the nucleus of players that brought four championships to the Twin Cities began going elsewhere β whether it was to pursue criminal justice matters, coaching opportunities in college, becoming an assistant within the Lynx or to join new teams, it appeared a rebuild was on the horizon for Cheryl Reeve.
So much for Reeve going the rebuild route. The Lynx advanced to the semifinals in the bubble last season behind Sylvia Fowles and the last two Rookies of the Year in Napheesa Collier and Crystal Dangerfield. And in addition to landing Achonwa, Minnesota also landed Aerial Powers from the Washington Mystics and sharpshooter Kayla McBride from the Las Vegas Aces.
πππ½ππΎππππ ππ πππππππππΌ pic.twitter.com/CpZwoneVoo
β Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) February 2, 2021
KayMac isnβt the only teammate @NatAchon is reuniting with π pic.twitter.com/RScuLc3hCt
β Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) February 2, 2021
Thank you @aerial_powers23!! β€οΈ pic.twitter.com/tnXMbytwyC
β Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) January 31, 2021
Minnesota needed shooting help. McBride helps with that big time. These veteran signings send a message to the rest of the WNBA that the Lynx are not finished yet.
As for the 2019 champion Mystics, they may be without an AP now, but made up for it by bringing an AC to DC. The AC in question is Alysha Clark from the defending champion Seattle Storm as she trades Washington State for Washington, D.C.
ππ β‘οΈ ππ!!!
2x WNBA Champ @Alysha_Clark is joining the squad!!
π° >> https://t.co/Al3PMjr1Do pic.twitter.com/hD6c34ZXCK
β Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) February 1, 2021
Welcome @Alysha_Clark, 2x @WNBA Champion to the @WashMystics! A fierce competitor and leader on and off the court. https://t.co/d2kTIoxSKG
β Ted Leonsis (@TedLeonsis) February 1, 2021
Oh heyyy @Alysha_Clark!! π π pic.twitter.com/tA0qAxsdgV
β Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) February 2, 2021
π€©π€©π€© https://t.co/c3c8GYq9Qg
β Alysha Clark (@Alysha_Clark) February 1, 2021
As for the Sparks, Parker was not the only major player that will depart Hollywood via free agency. Unlike Parker, Chelsea Gray will not have far to go as she joins Angel McCoughtry, Liz Cambage and Aβja Wilson in Las Vegas.
WNBA champion Chelsea Gray is headed to the Las Vegas Aces after five years with the Sparks, per @TheNextHoops
She’s teaming up with MVP A’ja Wilson, Liz Cambage and Angel McCoughtry
Watch out for the Aces π pic.twitter.com/qcVfPazC3C
β Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 28, 2021
And as for the Dream, they may have inked a deal with Cheyenne Parker, but it appears its Most Improved Player from the bubble (Betnijah Laney) will be going elsewhere β meaning east and I-20 and north on I-95 to the New York Liberty.
“In their first free agency move of the off-season, the New York Liberty have acquired one of the biggest standouts of last yearβs Wubble season”
3 REASONS THAT BETNIJAH LANEY MAKES THE NEW YORK LIBERTY BETTER IMMEDIATELY
By Dani Bar-Lavi(@dblfluidity)https://t.co/hW9FACRSyB
β Winsidr (@Winsidr) January 28, 2021
In addition to a plethora of players joining new teams, we also had plenty of notables re-upping with their incumbent franchises. These included Diana Taurasi with the Phoenix Mercuryβ¦
The Mercury released this beautiful tribute welcoming @DianaTaurasi back for her 17th season π
(via @PhoenixMercury) pic.twitter.com/RqwKV731lc
β espnW (@espnW) February 1, 2021
Sue Bird with the Seattle Stormβ¦
WNBA free agents can sign contracts starting today — but a source says you likely won’t see Seattle Storm veteran Sue Bird ink a deal on opening day, even though she’s not leaving the team. Here’s why (and why the WNBA might need its own Bird exception).https://t.co/azfGa826qQ
β ESPN Women’s Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) February 1, 2021
Allisha Gray with the Dallas Wingsβ¦
It’s official, Allisha Gray will be returning to the @DallasWings #WNBAFreeAgency pic.twitter.com/6HYwT4oZmM
β WNBA (@WNBA) February 1, 2021
Alyssa Thomas with the Connecticut Sunβ¦
Alyssa Thomas has signed a multi-year contract with the @ConnecticutSun…her eighth year in the WNBA in 2021, all with Connecticut.
βDespite the recent injury, it was important to show our loyalty for all that Alyssa Thomas has done for our franchise,β – @CurtMillerWBB ππΎ
β Arielle (Ari) Chambers (@ariivory) February 2, 2021
Nneka Ogwumike with the Los Angeles Sparksβ¦
Sources: WNBA star Nneka Ogwumike has agreed in principal to a multi-year deal to return to the L.A. Sparks. Ogwumike, one of the top free agents this offseason, made her decision after taking meetings with at least two other teams. @Winsidr
β Rachel Galligan (@RachGall) January 27, 2021
Epiphanny Prince with the Seattle Stormβ¦
Piph Da Great is back! πͺ
Weβve re-signed veteran guard @Piphdagreat10! βοΈ
Read all about it β¬οΈhttps://t.co/mqn4mof5wC pic.twitter.com/gQnSXTMVl9
β Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) February 1, 2021
β¦and Dearica Hamby with the Las Vegas Aces.
BIG GUARDβΌοΈ π£
OFFICIAL: The back-to-back @WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year has signed a contract extension!@dearicamarie βοΈ #ALLIN β¦οΈβ οΈhttps://t.co/IjVnkvdG2U
β Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) February 1, 2021
