Chicago Sky Make Move After Trading Angel Reese

Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca described the move as a decision to achieve roster balance and build toward the future. Reese embraced the move to Atlanta, where she joins a rising roster and expressed gratitude to Chicago fans in a farewell message on social media. 

With Reese gone, the Sky have already begun preparing for next season, beginning with extending a core qualifying offer to guard Ariel Atkins on Tuesday.

The deal is set to pay Atkins $1.4 million should she agree to the terms. A core qualifying offer in the WNBA essentially functions as a “tag” for a returning player: it gives the team exclusive negotiating rights and the right to match any offer sheet she might receive from another franchise, while securing her at a high salary tier under the league’s collective bargaining agreement.

Atkins, a veteran guard and former two‑time All‑Star, joined the Sky in February 2025 in a trade with the Washington Mystics that sent Chicago’s 2025 No. 3 draft pick to Washington. During her first season in Chicago, she emerged as one of the team’s top perimeter threats. Last season, she averaged 13.1 points, 3.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.

Prior to her time with the Sky, Atkins spent seven seasons with the Mystics, where she earned two All‑Star nods, an All‑Defensive honors and a 2019 WNBA Championship. 

It appears the Sky want Atkins as the cornerstone of their backcourt while they look forward to adding more pieces via the upcoming draft. With restricted rights in hand, Chicago will have significant leverage in negotiations as free agency unfolds, ensuring that Atkins remains a central piece of the franchise’s next chapter.