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Connecticut Sun 2021
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Admiral_Needa



Joined: 23 Sep 2004
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PostPosted: 09/29/20 8:31 pm    ::: Connecticut Sun 2021 Reply Reply with quote

Connecticut limped into the playoffs, then turned it on, getting hot at just the right time. DeWanna Bonner had instant chemistry with the team and the double point-guard backcourt with January actually worked well. Upset CHI, LA and almost LV! I predicted them to finish higher in the regular-season standings, but otherwise, they met all expectations nicely. Cool

With Jonquel Jones coming back, they should be in a great position to make another run for the Finals. However, the other super-teams will be in similar positions, so what should CON do to put them over the top? Question



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mavcarter
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PostPosted: 09/29/20 9:01 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Invest in a quality fucking bench player and let J. Thomas go.



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Randy



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PostPosted: 09/29/20 9:09 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

mavcarter wrote:
Invest in a quality fucking bench player and let J. Thomas go.


How about getting Hayes to help their 2-3 depth. They also need a reliable 3 point shooter. Trade assets are their FRP, B. Jones or maybe Mompremier. I'm not sure where they are on cap space.


BamaEd



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PostPosted: 09/29/20 9:51 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Have Alyssa repair her shoulders!

Bench depth, but some of that they may get anyway. With Jonquel back, BJones comes off the bench, Bria Holmes should be back too. A true shooting guard can move Jasmine to the bench as well. But I think January, Jasmine, and Hideman is a bit of a logjam.

Now that Bonner and Alyssa have had a year together, I think that will make the beginning of the season easier. Jonquel as more of an offensive threat than BJones makes that starting frontcourt beyond dangerous for teams.


J-Spoon



Joined: 31 Jan 2009
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PostPosted: 09/29/20 9:59 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Conn have 3 UFA they can move on from in Carson, Plaisance and KML.
Or come back to signing them only after addressing their other free agents
A. Thomas gets super max
B. Jones is RFA and should be matched
I don't know if they need J. Thomas as much as before but it depends on if she wants to leave and how much she costs
Heideman is reserved and should get brought back
Bria Holmes is an UFA Conn can pay her decently if someone comes along and offers her something huge or if Holmes wants to move on K. Charles is probably ready to step up her role
one problem is no current first round picks
so based on the above we move to this as the core

January/Heideman
Charles
Bonner
A. Thomas/Mompremier
J. Jones/B. Jones

so that is getting a little expensive Conn will probably have to go with 11 unless they go with their 2 2nd round pick 20 from PX and 21 from Minny and some waiver wire or cheap signings

assuming it is 11
they have their current free agents J. Thomas, Holmes, Carson, KML and Plaisance
other options that might be available but not a max
Breland, Hawkins, Laney, Achonwa, R. Williams, S, johnson, G. Johnson
even cheaper
Huff, A. Jones, RFA Burdick, Coffey, maybe Dietrick

I would probably bring back Holmes and J.Thomas I am not sure they can afford better options and add someone like Breland or Hawkins and go with 11

J. Thomas/Heideman
January/Charles
Bonner/Holmes
A. Thomas/Breland or Hawkins/Mompremier
J. Jones/B. Jones

This is basically the core of a team that has been to the finals twice, casting off some of the further down the depth chart vets to hold onto younger more productive vets seems like the best course of action.

Without a 1st round draft pick, or a very tradable player; A. Thomas, J. Thomas and Holmes are UFA, Bonner is too valuable to the team, J. Jones returning is more of a bump than what they could trade her for, B. Jones' continue development gives them another improving piece why trade that, Charles has potential and along with Mompremier and Heideman you need those cheaper contracts to even keep most of what you have.

My plan isn't great but Conn is a multi final team with little maneuverability to get much better than just staying the course. OTOH that Conn is good enough to keep its competitive status. I am not the biggest Conn fan but for the last two season this team has got to the finals and the team above even after most pick them to be 4th to 8th next year could still be hanging around come next years finals.


Richyyy



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PostPosted: 09/29/20 10:08 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

It's not gonna be easy to bring all those people back. Similar situation to what we were talking about in the Phoenix thread, except they have even more people out of contract.



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RI_Sun_Fan



Joined: 16 Jan 2010
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PostPosted: 09/29/20 10:20 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

I hope they keep Mompremier and dump KML. I didn't understand the KML signing.


J-Spoon



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PostPosted: 09/29/20 10:31 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

simpler version

Bonner, A. Thomas and J. Jones is enough to keep Conn relevant
January is already there
Charles is developing
Heideman is improving and cheap
B. Jones is a RFA so match
Mompremier is cheap and has a season with the team

figure out the rest later

January/Heideman
Charles
Bonner
A. Thomas/Mompremier
J. Jones/B. Jones

you need 3 more players
If Holmes and J. Thomas are both too expensive pick one (Thomas or Holmes)
try to bring in a mid cost vet (Breland, Hawkins, Achonwa, Vaughn, Dietrick, Burdick. Carson, Plaisance, Coffey)
and pick up a player not currently on a team (A. Jones, Huff, T. Young)
or off the waiver wire (Kea, one of the NY sophomores (Holmes or the next best to get cut) Peddy, Agnew, St. Johnson, Sutton, maybe one of the suspended rookies Pivec, Gillespie or late cut Martin, E. Ogwumike, Gorecki)
or get lucky with one of your second round picks, or a higher 21 draft pick who ends up on the waiver wire.




Last edited by J-Spoon on 09/29/20 10:36 pm; edited 1 time in total
mavcarter
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PostPosted: 09/29/20 10:36 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Randy wrote:
Trade assets are their FRP, B. Jones or maybe Mompremier. I'm not sure where they are on cap space.


Already traded it for Bonner. Razz



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Stormeo



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PostPosted: 09/30/20 12:42 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

If there's any team that legitimately needs a SG, it's the Sun. January and Jasmine Thomas are absolutely redundant out there as defense-first PGs that also aren't really playmakers. I've said before that I think JT is probably the worst passer out of all the League's starting PGs.

If Tiffany Hayes is indeed put up on the market by Atlanta, I like the idea of a Hayes-for-Brionna Jones trade, straight-up. Hayes will be on her pre-new CBA deal for one more year, so she could be much cheaper than the RFA Jones will be. Too, Jonquel Jones is due to come back, so Brionna Jones probably won't really see much time on the floor for the Sun to justify getting a good payday...

...unless Alyssa Thomas either signs elsewhere or finally gets those shoulders surgically repaired (if she suffers any big injuries to one this overseas season, or if her recently dislocated one gives her issues in the coming months). She is the key. No AT, no Finals. As many on here have said before, Bonner just isn't good enough to be relied upon game after game in the playoffs. She's just too streaky to be any team's first option. AT is the heart, soul, and true stabilizer of this team. Connecticut like LA will probably try to keep its core group together, but so long as Connecticut secures AT, it might behoove them to get creative in free agency. Maybe no hometown hero Bria Holmes. And the idea of letting go of Jasmine Thomas? Several of us on here will believe it when we see it, but we still wouldn't mind seeing it...


Randy



Joined: 08 Oct 2011
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PostPosted: 09/30/20 7:32 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

mavcarter wrote:
Invest in a quality fucking bench player and let J. Thomas go.


Now with 20-20 hindsight, it appears the Dream won the Thomas-Hrynko trade. Razz


Shades



Joined: 10 Jul 2006
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PostPosted: 09/30/20 11:23 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Randy wrote:
mavcarter wrote:
Invest in a quality fucking bench player and let J. Thomas go.


Now with 20-20 hindsight, it appears the Dream won the Thomas-Hrynko trade. Razz


I guess her Game 1 performance (career high 31 pts) where she single-handedly made the Sun believers was too long ago to remember?
https://www.wnba.com/game/20200920/CONLVA/

I was eyeing her up in the preseason for the Lynx and now I’m eyeing her up even more (if her plantar fasciitis isn’t a chronic problem). I’d rather have Cloud, but that’s probably too unrealistic.



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PUmatty



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PostPosted: 09/30/20 12:27 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Obviously AT is a max player anywhere and CT will likely do whatever it takes to resign her, but I salivate at thinking about her in a Fever uniform.

Do the Sun have a core designation available?


Richyyy



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PostPosted: 09/30/20 12:34 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

PUmatty wrote:
Do the Sun have a core designation available?

Yes. Wouldn't be at all surprised if they used it on AThomas.



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PUmatty



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PostPosted: 09/30/20 12:46 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Richyyy wrote:
PUmatty wrote:
Do the Sun have a core designation available?

Yes. Wouldn't be at all surprised if they used it on AThomas.


Thanks. I have think they would.


Richyyy



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PostPosted: 09/30/20 1:02 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

PUmatty wrote:
Richyyy wrote:
PUmatty wrote:
Do the Sun have a core designation available?

Yes. Wouldn't be at all surprised if they used it on AThomas.


Thanks. I have think they would.

The problem would be that either she signs the core qualifying offer for one year, and then you have both AThomas and JJones as UFAs at the same time the next offseason; or she signs for multiple years and then JJones is a true UFA on her own that following offseason.

It's a decision that could affect more stuff down the line.



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Richyyy



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PostPosted: 10/21/20 8:58 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Latest in our team-by-team analysis pieces. Connecticut currently have four players under contract, so there's, y'know, quite a lot of stuff to deal with.

https://herhoopstats.substack.com/p/2020-reflections-and-2021-forecasts-97b



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Stormeo



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PostPosted: 10/21/20 10:33 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

At least Jonquel Jones, who’s already at $190k, could choose to sign an extension towards the end of the 2021 season that would potentially bump her all the way up to that 2022 supermax figure if she wants to stay. Then she wouldn’t have to be a free agent. (Maybe that’s why both sides agreed to that number when she first re-signed, in order to set that up that exact scenario...?)

If the Sun aren’t 100% sure that Alyssa Thomas wants to re-sign, like I said with the Storm & Natasha Howard, core her and go from there.


J-Spoon



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PostPosted: 10/21/20 11:23 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

So What could Conn get for B. Jones?

Like with Howard and whoever isn't cored between Gray and Ogwumike the trade would need to bring back cheaper options so Conn can spread their cap around elsewhere therefor picks and or rookie contracts. Unlike Howard or Gray/Ogwumike B. Jones probably doesn't have as much value

would Dallas be willing to do KLS and pick #7?

or Minn MHH and pick 9?

If Atl's lottery pick turns out to be pick #3 or #4 would that be a viable swap?

I don't think she is a good fit for NY or Indy and everyone else seems to be dealing with their own cap issues.

Maybe Chicago could do Gabby Williams for Jones, but that would probably mean taking on Jones instead of resigning Ch. Parker assuming Jones would come at a cheaper price than Parker. (Might be worth it if Chicago could then trade Parker instead of just let her walk).


Richyyy



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PostPosted: 10/21/20 12:05 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Stormeo wrote:
At least Jonquel Jones, who’s already at $190k, could choose to sign an extension towards the end of the 2021 season that would potentially bump her all the way up to that 2022 supermax figure if she wants to stay. Then she wouldn’t have to be a free agent. (Maybe that’s why both sides agreed to that number when she first re-signed, in order to set that up that exact scenario...?)

She signed for the lower max, which was the highest she was allowed to sign for at the time because she only had 4 years of WNBA experience. But you're right, she could extend for future years right up to the supermax, thereby locking her in and letting them worry about other people. If she wants to.



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Stormeo



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PostPosted: 10/21/20 12:25 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Richyyy wrote:
She signed for the lower max, which was the highest she was allowed to sign for at the time because she only had 4 years of WNBA experience. But you're right, she could extend for future years right up to the supermax, thereby locking her in and letting them worry about other people. If she wants to.

Whoops, that's right. Why did I think she had been in the League longer than four years? 😅 Thanks. 🙂

J-Spoon wrote:
So what could Conn get for B. Jones?

The Sun would probably need a 2-for-1 or even 3-for-1 deal to boost up their bench – a 1-for-1 trade, while it would get rid of B. Jones' contract, really wouldn't address that bench issue. I like your Minny and Dallas trade ideas; I could see either of those trades coming true. The Dallas one would be best, cuz shoot, this team sure needs some shooting!


Richyyy



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PostPosted: 10/21/20 1:04 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Unless they think she's Fowles's long-term successor, why would Minnesota want to pay BJones? It'd be the same issue of overpaying a backup center that would be the reason for Connecticut not to keep her in the first place. And Minnesota even already proved that they're a pretty good team with everyone sliding over a spot and Collier/Dantas playing 4/5.

I seriously doubt Minnesota use their valuable cap space on any kind of post unless it's a truly elite one (like Nneka), or there's someone like Fowles going in the other direction.



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root_thing



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PostPosted: 10/21/20 1:58 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Brionna Jones is an interesting Plan B or Plan C post option, but I’m not sure anybody is dying to have her. Jones’s lack of athleticism can be a liability on defense, and it did take her four years to develop into a solid player. The longish wait was partly due to lack of opportunity, but you still wonder about the robustness of her improvement. Will it disappear quickly under a different system or with new teammates? Is B. Jones the next Astou Ndour? Teams may have an interest when Jones is available for free, but will that still be true if they have to give up significant assets AND commit to a big contract? The smart play here is to sign Jones to an offer sheet and then dare Connecticut to match. If they do, then simply move on to the next option. It's a mild disappointment, but at least you're not setting yourself up for a major mistake.



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J-Spoon



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PostPosted: 10/21/20 2:13 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

OTOH if you trade for her you might be able to keep the contract lower than having to "dare" Conn to match it and in the case of say Dallas with KLS and #7 to sounds like a decent offer but it would barely have any impact on Dallas' bottom line. KLS and #7 would probably fall in the 10-12 range on their roster. I assume Dallas would probably hope for better but this trade as a plan C would probably still have a net positive for Dallas, and it probably allows Conn to bring back Jasmine T. and Holmes

Conn
J. Thomas/Heideman
January/Charles
Bonner/Holmes/pick 7 (Westbrook, Richards, Guarantes, ideally someone who could pretend to be a post in a small ball line up)
A. Thomas/KLS (OK probably a stretch at 4 pun intended but really would probably be a 3 with Bonner at 4 when A. Thomas is out)
Jones/Mompremier

Dallas
Mabrey/Harris/Jefferson
Ogunbowale/Gray
Thorton/pick 3 (Davis or Oneynwere)
Sabally/Alarie/pick 5 (Mack or Kuier)
B. Jones/Harrison


root_thing



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PostPosted: 10/21/20 2:43 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Fair enough. Like New York, Dallas has more assets than they know what to do with. Still you might be able to use them to overpay for someone better. If it does come down to Plan C, I suppose desperation could set in. But I wonder if Bibb will be gun shy after being stuck for awhile with Tayler Hill’s contract and now with Ndour. Does he risk being stuck with yet another big contract for a flash-in-the-pan player?



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