2023 WNBA Free Company: Minnesota Lynx want to interchange Sylvia Fowles

Sylvia Fowles is among the two biggest facilities in WNBA historical past. She was additionally the ultimate member of the Minnesota Lynx dynasty’s large 5 to depart the franchise, which she did on the finish of final season by retiring.

Fowles was nonetheless on the prime of her recreation, so Minnesota is tasked with changing a star. However the Lynx are used to successful; they don’t need to spend even one 12 months out of the combo. Fortunately for them, they’ve their finest participant in Napheesa Collier coming back from maternity go away. Additionally they have co-stars Aerial Powers and Kayla McBride and the No. 2 decide within the draft. That could possibly be an enormous 4 proper there.

The Lynx missed the playoffs final season for the primary time in 11 years, however have been aggressive even towards the perfect groups within the league. With them shedding one star and returning one other, you’d assume they’re not going to get a lot better or a lot worse. However free company can all the time change that.

With Collier, Powers and McBride all making the max or near it, the Lynx should watch out about how they spend the remainder of their cash. Additionally they should ask themselves which of their 4 free brokers they need round.

We all know Cheryl Reeve values a superb level guard; has Moriah Jefferson impressed her sufficient to be saved and paid an enormous quantity?

In the meantime, Damiris Dantas has been a key participant for the Lynx up to now, however had an low season final 12 months. Rachel Banham is Minnesota’s personal and brings scoring pop from distance. Bridget Carleton is a younger and versatile participant; it’s troublesome to inform if she will likely be a star at some point or only a function participant. What’s going to develop into of these three? And is there anybody else the Lynx need to herald to spice it up like they did in 2021 by bringing in Powers and McBride? Or can they not afford to spice it up this time round?

By the numbers*

Free brokers (sort) (2022 common wage)

• Damiris Dantas (unrestricted) ($129,150)
• Rachel Banham (unrestricted) ($72,141)
• Bridget Carleton (restricted) ($72,141)
• Moriah Jefferson (unrestricted) ($67,141)

Whole common wage of free brokers: $340,573

Whole group wage: $881,222

Cap area: $539,278

Evaluation

Changing Fowles is likely to be somewhat tough as a result of the perfect gamers obtainable at No. 2 received’t be facilities. Middle Aliyah Boston, if she enters the draft, will go No. 1 and 6-foot-6 Elizabeth Kitley out of Virginia Tech isn’t a foul comfort in any respect, however most mocks have the Lynx taking the perfect obtainable participant (both Diamond Miller of Maryland, Haley Jones of Stanford or Rickea Jackson of Tennessee) with the second decide.

If the Lynx don’t select to take Kitley at No. 2, they may commerce for a middle. Natalie Achonwa was thought of an enormous get in 2021, however her contract is costly ($155,100) for what she’s contributed. They Lynx might commerce her to the Fever for heart Queen Egbo ($67,634). Achonwa averaged 10.3 factors and 6.9 rebounds for Indiana in 2018, however simply 5.3 factors and 4.1 rebounds for the Lynx final 12 months. The Fever are in search of as a lot veteran management as they will get, however from Minnesota’s perspective Achonwa hasn’t been a productive participant shortly, albeit due to damage.

Egbo made the All-Rookie group final 12 months, averaging 7.2 factors, 6.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. She might solely be coming into her second season, however she is aware of what it takes to be a beginning heart within the league.

The opposite want for the Lynx is some extent guard as a result of proper now Jefferson is their just one. So they may commerce Achonwa for some extent guard and get a beginning heart in free company. They’d need it to be a reasonable level guard and the 2 choices which can be each low cost and ok to be high-impact gamers are Julie Allemand ($69,770) and Aari McDonald ($78,586). Each are somewhat dearer than Egbo, however there may nonetheless be cash left over to signal Elizabeth Williams or Han Xu as a beginning heart. In Williams, they’d be getting among the finest defensive facilities within the league and in Xu they’d be getting an up-and-coming potential star. Free brokers Ezi Magbegor, Azurá Stevens and Amanda Zahui B. are possible going to be too costly. Megan Gustafson wouldn’t be if, as a substitute of buying Williams or Xu, the Lynx need to gamble on a participant who has been tearing it up in EuroLeague Girls.

Picture by Ned Dishman/NBAE through Getty Pictures

If the Lynx select to commerce for a beginning heart, they might want to get the backup level guard in free company and I believe that could possibly be Jordin Canada at round $139,000. That’d be the quantity that they’d have the ability to pay Williams, Xu or Gustafson too. Canada is sweet sufficient to compete with Jefferson for the beginning job, so Minnesota can be assured to have a killer level guard coming off the bench.

I believe Dantas continues to be a extremely good participant, however I don’t know that the Lynx will really feel the identical method after she shot 26.2 p.c from three final 12 months. Let’s say they don’t attempt to maintain her in free company. Then, let’s say they pay Jefferson $150,000 for her excellent numbers final 12 months (10.8 factors and 4.9 assists per recreation with the Lynx). I believe they will pay Banham lower than they might pay Dantas and can need to maintain the hometown lady round. Let’s say Banham will get $100,000 after averaging a career-high 7.9 factors per recreation final 12 months. That leaves Carleton, who I additionally assume will likely be prioritized forward of Dantas as a result of she is 5 years youthful and has an outstanding skillset. I put Carleton down at $95,000.

No matter whether or not it’s Miller, Jones or Jackson taken at No. 2, the Lynx will need a backup heart at No. 12. Stephanie Soares of Iowa State, Taiyanna Jackson of Kansas and Jessika Carter of Mississippi State are all nice choices. They too might compete for the beginning job.

So right here’s what an 11-player roster might appear to be for the Lynx, roughly so as of significance and with projected salaries:

• Napheesa Collier, beginning PF ($202,154)
• Aerial Powers, beginning SF ($201,984)
• Kayla McBride, beginning SG ($201,984)
• No. 2 decide, second SF (Diamond Miller/Haley Jones/Rickea Jackson) ($74,305)
• Moriah Jefferson, beginning PG ($150,000)
• Jordin Canada, second PG or Elizabeth Williams, beginning C or Han Xu, beginning C or Megan Gustafson, beginning C (FA signing), ($139,144, $137,008 or $128,192 relying on who they get in Achonwa commerce)
• Jessica Shepard, second PF ($120,000)
• Queen Egbo, beginning C or second C ($67,634) or Julie Allemand, second PG ($69,770) or Aari McDonald, second PG ($78,586) (acquired in Achonwa commerce)
• Rachel Banham, second SG ($100,000)
• No. 12 decide (Stephanie Soares/Taiyanna Jackson/Jessika Carter), second C ($68,295)
• Bridget Carleton, second SF or third SF ($95,000)

In the event that they take Kitley at No. 2, then it frees them as much as search for the very best participant at any place for both the Achonwa commerce or their free-agent signing, however not each. Considered one of them nonetheless must be some extent guard.

Would possibly AD or Rebekah Gardner be in Minnesota’s worth vary whether it is in search of free brokers in any respect positions?

Middle Shakira Austin is an alternative choice that the Lynx might commerce for as a substitute of Egbo, however I don’t assume the Mystics will need to half methods with Austin. To be sincere, the Dream in all probability aren’t going to need to half methods with McDonald both. Each she and Austin have been No. 3 general picks.

If the Lynx maintain Achonwa and every little thing else stays the identical, they’d should miss out on the $139,144, $137,008 or $128,192 free agent. Assuming Banham stays at $100,000 and Carleton stays at $95,000 no matter which group they go to, the Lynx would have $89,393 left to pay their free agent signing in the event that they saved Carleton and let Banham go.

I believe the Lynx worth Achonwa, however they’ve somewhat more cash to work with in the event that they commerce her. Nevertheless, we will’t simply assume the fitting commerce will come alongside.

* All wage numbers come from Her Hoop Stats