Why Sky waived Hailey Van Lith and what it means for 2025 first-round pick

The Sky have remodeled their backcourt entering the 2026 season. Chicago's season tips off against the Portland Fire on Saturday (9 p.m. ET, NBA TV).

Chicago signed guard Skylar Diggins, a seven-time All-Star, to a two-year, $1.86M contract in April. Shortly after that, the Sky acquired guard Jacy Sheldon, a 2024 first-round pick, in a trade with the Washington Mystics.

After the team confirmed the waiving of Van Lith, it announced on X that it had signed guard Natasha Cloud, a one-time champion. The flurry of moves left little room for the 2025 Big 12 Player of the Year in the backcourt.

A team can claim Van Lith's rookie contract on Wednesday after she clears waivers. She should generate interest after showing signs of improvement in two preseason games, in which she averaged 12.5 points per game. 

The Sky could still add Van Lith to one of two developmental spots on its roster, which work similarly to the NFL's practice squad. But that seems unlikely. 

The Sky traded third-year forward Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream in April. The waiving of Van Lith is another indicator that the team is moving in a new direction following a 10-34 season in 2025.