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Four WNBA offseason moves that have paid huge dividends
We are less than two full weeks into the 2025 WNBA season, and already things are taking shape.
The New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx, last season's finalists, are a combined 9-0. Other contenders are potentially emerging, while others are facing challenges.
Some teams are thriving with their new rosters, while others are struggling to put the pieces together.
Only about 10 percent of the WNBA regular season has been completed, but that seems like an ideal time to look back at the offseason and which moves have paid off the most, at least so far.
Here are four that have paid off immediately.
Liberty's trade for Natasha Cloud
New York traded the seventh overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft for Natasha Cloud, and so far, it has been among the best moves of the offseason.
Cloud's elite defensive ability was on display in the Liberty's win over the Fever. In four games this season, her defensive rating is 0.9. That's by far the best mark of her career.
It will be hard to keep that up for a full season, but she's a huge reason why the Liberty are 4-0.
Beyond her defense, Cloud is averaging career highs in points (15.3), steals (2.3) and blocks (1.0) among other categories, plus she has an effective field-goal percentage of 57.8.
The sample size is small. Yet, there is no denying that Cloud has made a massive impact.
Sparks trade for Kelsey Plum
Los Angeles is just 2-4 so far this season, but that doesn't mean that Kelsey Plum hasn't been extraordinary.
Through six games, Plum has played like an MVP candidate. She's second in the WNBA in scoring (25.2 ppg) and is shooting 44 percent from the field, as well as 43.4 percent from 3-point range.
Plum is averaging 3.8 3-pointers per game, and with her on the roster, the Sparks can be a playoff team in 2025. They will be especially formidable long-term with Plum and 2024 No. 2 overall pick Cameron Brink, whenever she's back to 100 percent.
Indiana upgraded its defense
The Fever will have to survive without Caitlin Clark for a couple of weeks, due to a quad injury announced by the team, but that shouldn't be a huge issue.
Even if they fall below .500, there will be time to make up for it. The most encouraging thing for Indiana, outside of the development of Clark and Aliyah Boston, has been the defensive impact of newcomers DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard and Sydney Colson.
The Fever will always have an elite offense with Clark. She still needs to cut back on the turnovers, but Indiana is ranked third in team defensive rating compared to 11th last season.
If Indiana can keep that up, it will be a bona fide title contender this fall.
Phoenix Mercury reload
The Phoenix Mercury made the WNBA playoffs last season, however, it was clear they needed to re-tool.
So far, they have exceeded expectations in part because of their trade for former No. 2 overall pick Satou Sabally.
The 6-foot-4 forward is sixth in the WNBA in scoring (19.8 ppg). She hasn't even shot the ball well from the perimeter, but has been lights out on defense with a defensive rating of 0.91, not far behind Cloud's.
The All-WNBA selection in 2023 has played like the building-block Phoenix needed her to be. Yet, the Mercury are also 4-2 and look like a team headed for the postseason once again.
More must-reads:
- Paige Bueckers makes history with impressive start to WNBA career
- WNBA should give Paige Bueckers the spotlight after Caitlin Clark news
- The 'Most points in a WNBA season' quiz
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Wings' Paige Bueckers makes history but Kelsey Plum, Sparks get the last laugh
Paige Bueckers had maybe the finest game a WNBA rookie has ever had, and it still wasn't enough for the Dallas Wings to get a win in Los Angeles. Kelsey Plum made sure of that. On Wednesday night, Bueckers tied a WNBA-rookie record with 44 points, equaling a mark set by Cynthia Cooper back in 1997, Plum spoiled the evening for the Wings with a buzzer-beater, giving the Los Angeles Sparks the 81-80 victory. Cooper wasn't exactly a rookie like Bueckers, either. Cooper was in her age-34 season, but that was during the first season the WNBA existed, so it's considered a rookie record. Regardless, the Rookie of the Year front-runner cooked against the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday, connecting on 17-of-21 field-goal attempts and hitting all four of her tries from beyond the arc. It was almost like Bueckers couldn't miss. Even with L.A. defenders draped all over her, the rookie was easily draining fadeaway jumpers. In the end, Bueckers' big night wasn't enough to carry the Wings to a victory. Trailing by one point, Los Angeles got the ball back late thanks to a defensive stop. Plum, who scored 20 points on the night, wasn't about to relinquish the ball and banked in a short jumper at the buzzer to give L.A. a much-needed win. Rickea Jackson added 25 points for the Sparks, who are now 0.5 games back of the Seattle Storm for the last playoff spot and one full game behind the Golden State Valkyries for the No. 7 seed. Plum's shot was clutch, but the night still belonged to Bueckers in the loss. She won't walk away happy with the final result, yet it's worth noting that Bueckers scored 40 points in a WNBA game before Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark. The UConn alum is also the first WNBA player to score 40 or more this season. Bueckers might not play in the postseason as a rookie with Dallas, but there is little doubt that the future is bright. Even if Plum stole her thunder for one night.
Commanders' Terry McLaurin reportedly wants more money than previously thought
Previous reports indicated that unsettled Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin was looking to land "parts" of the five-year, $150M contract that the Pittsburgh Steelers gave DK Metcalf earlier this year. For an article published on Wednesday morning, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic offered an update regarding why McLaurin and the Commanders haven't come to terms on an extension after the 29-year-old requested a trade on July 31. "One person with knowledge of McLaurin’s contract negotiations said the veteran receiver has asked for more than DK Metcalf," Jhabvala revealed. McLaurin is in the final year of his current deal and will turn 30 years old in September. To compare, Metcalf will turn 28 in December. That said, McLaurin emerged last season as the favorite target for quarterback Jayden Daniels as Daniels guided the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game. "McLaurin believes he’s one of the best receivers in the NFL," Jhabvala added. "He’s been the Commanders' leading receiver every season since he entered the league (in 2019), and last year had the second-most receiving TDs in the league behind Ja’Marr Chase’s 17. He also ranked third in (expected points added) on targets and seventh in catch rate among receivers with at least 100 targets last year, but among that same group, McLaurin’s total receiving yards (1,096) ranked 12th and his average yards after the catch ranked 25th." Daniels seemed optimistic while speaking about the ongoing contract standoff during the ESPN broadcast of Monday's preseason game between the Commanders and Cincinnati Bengals when he said he knew McLaurin would "be coming through the door soon." However, Jhabvala noted that "it wouldn’t be a surprise if the [Commanders have] set a maximum range of $27M to $28M a year in average annual value for McLaurin." That seems to suggest the two sides aren't all that close to coming to terms on an agreement. It's unclear if McLaurin is willing to forfeit money by sitting out Washington's Week 1 game against the New York Giants on Sept. 7 amid his desire for a pay raise. If he isn't, he may have to soon accept the offer that's on the table to guarantee himself future earnings beyond the upcoming season.
Bill Belichick takes another shot at Patriots owner Robert Kraft
It is no secret that the relationship between Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft has been strained since Belichick left the New England Patriots. Belichick took an obvious shot at Kraft and the Patriots owner's son, Jonathan, who is the president of the team, during an interview with Ben Volin of the Boston Globe that was published on Thursday. Belichick is preparing for his first-ever season as a college coach with North Carolina. When asked what he has noticed that is different about coaching in college versus the NFL, Belichick insinuated he has enjoyed not having to answer to any members of the Kraft family while doing his job in Chapel Hill. "It’s a much more cohesive, and I’d say unified, view of what we’re trying to do and how we’re trying to do it," Belichick told Volin. "It’s a lot of football, and there’s not much in your way. "There’s no owner, there’s no owner’s son. There’s no cap, everything that goes with the marketing and everything else, which I’m all for that. But it’s way less of what it was at that level." Shots fired. There is no way to interpret that other than a criticism of Robert and Jonathan Kraft. Had Belichick left it at not having to answer to a team owner, you could make the case that he was speaking generally about the NFL. The fact that he added in "owner's son" makes it obvious he was referring to his old bosses, as both Robert and Jonathan are hands-on with the Patriots. Belichick is almost certainly bitter over the way his tenure in New England ended following the 2023 season. He coached the Patriots for 24 seasons and won six Super Bowls, so he likely felt he should have been given more time to turn things around in the post-Tom Brady era. The Kraft family preferred to move on after a 4-13 campaign. Though Belichick insists he is solely focused on the upcoming UNC season, this is not the first time in recent months that he has gone out of his way to throw a jab at Robert Kraft.
'Look out for this dude': Former NFL exec has warning about unexpected SEC quarterback
Green Bay Packers: Jordan Love Makes Confident Declaration After Duo Torches Seahawks
The Green Bay Packers are just around a couple of weeks away from kicking off their 2025 NFL campaign. With Jordan Love seemingly on pace to fully recover from a recent thumb surgery, hopes are high that the team will be able to have a solid start in the upcoming season. Love has a solid group of weapons for him to work with in the passing attack. Much has been said about the team’s wide receiving room, which may be lacking a true No. 1 option, but is certainly brimming with talent, especially with the continued emergence of first-round wideout Matthew Golden. But Love is also excited about the Packers’ tight ends in Tufcker Kraft and Luke Musgrave. Love fired up by Green Bay Packers tight ends’ showing during Seattle Seahawks practice After the chaotic, fight-filled joint practice session with the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, Love expressed his trust and positive outlook for the said tight ends. “Definitely, I think that’s something that since they both got here and we’ve been able to see what they can do on the field,” Love said when asked if he was thrilled to see Kraft and Musgrave have great performances against the Seahawks’ defense, per Ryan Wood of USA Today. “I think that’s one thing that Matt and the guys dropped the plays and then kind of hunt for is to get them both on the field and do some pretty cool things in the pass game with them. And it obviously married all up with the run game. But the possibilities are endless for sure. “Those guys have been doing a great job in building. Tuck has done some great things on the field. And I think Luke’s having a great camp as well. Musgrave and Kraft are clearly talented options in the offense for Love, and at least one of them taking their game to the next level in 2025 should make Green Bay’s attack much deadlier. Musgrave missed several games in 2024 due to a stint on the injured reserve and only had 45 receiving yards on seven receptions and 10 targets. Kraft, on the other hand, has improved in each of his first two seasons in the league. Last season, he had 707 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 50 catches and 70 targets.
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