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The Connecticut Sun acquired Moriah Jefferson from the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday in exchange for fellow guard Rebecca Allen in a sign-and-trade deal.
Jefferson's contract extends through the next two seasons, per the Sun.
Jefferson, 29, averaged 10.5 points, 3.6 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 39 games (36 starts) last season with Phoenix. The former UConn product has contributed 9.4 points, 3.6 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 179 career games (143 starts) with the San Antonio Silver Stars/Las Vegas Aces, Dallas Wings, Minnesota Lynx and Mercury.
"We are excited to add Moriah to our team," Sun head coach Stephanie White said in a release. "She gives us an experienced guard that can impact the game on both ends with her speed, quickness and playmaking ability."
Allen, 31, averaged 6.4 points and 2.8 rebounds in 40 games (27 starts) last season with Connecticut. The Australian contributed 5.8 points and 2.6 boards in 198 career games (67 starts) with the New York Liberty and Sun.
"Becca is a multidimensional player, who can impact the game on both ends of the floor with her elite shooting, versatility and length," Mercury general manager Nick U'Ren said. "The veteran leadership and high basketball IQ that she brings will be invaluable to our team."
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- The 'NBA all-time 50-point game leaders' quiz
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'There’s No Hate': Angel Reese Ranked Below Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers Defended By Candace Parker After Backlash
Angel Reese’s fans didn’t exactly accept what Candace Parker said of her last week. During an interview with Complex Sports, the WNBA legend ranked today’s star players in a tier list, putting the “Bayou Barbie” at the C tier, painfully above her fellow young stars, especially rival Caitlin Clark. Before mentioning Reese, Parker made it clear that she holds herself to a different bar. She put A’ja Wilson, who won two championships on the S tier, joined by Napheesa Collier, and Breanna Stewart. Standing at the A tier are Reese’s college rival, Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu, and Kelsey Plum. Taking the B tier are Arike Ogunbowale and rookie Paige Bueckers. Parker finally went to the C tier, putting Angel Reese in the same par as Cameron Brink, who isn’t playing due to her ACL injury. Fans, who had long defended the former LSU standout, were not falling for this, largely since it was given by a legend who had previously defended Reese. After facing heavy backlash and calling her an “Angel Reese hater,” the two-time MVP set things straight on Tuesday’s episode of the “Good Follow Show,” saying that she holds no grudge against Reese. However, she also made it clear that she won’t change her ranking. “There’s no hate on Angel Reese, I love her,” Parker said. “I will never attack anybody’s character, I will never attack who they are, ever. I just hope others will do the same.” “Can [Reese] get to player A, or player S, or whatever? Yes, she can. Right now, I don’t know if she’s alongside those players. And you’re measuring her against players that have been in the league for years.” Candace Parker dismisses Angel Reese-Caitlin Clark rivalry, calls them “comparing apples to oranges” Speaking on June 8’s episode of “Spolitics With Jemele Hill,” Candace Parker wasn’t buying the spotlight behind Angel Reese’s rivalry with Caitlin Clark. For her, comparing the two college standouts is mixing two different playstyles just because they’re the hottest names out there. Parker also isn’t buying with one specific contrast, explaining: “They like doing the Magic [Johnson] and the Larry [Bird] comparison. Well, they played similar positions, like Bird wasn’t a point guard, but he played the guard position, like they at least kind of match up. Like, what are we doing? So, I’m not falling into that. I’m not into the comparison.” Parker is calling it out for what it is: a forced headline between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. She’s not interested in manufactured drama, and she’s definitely not playing that comparison game.
Matthew Stafford news highlights potential need for Rams
Matthew Stafford's latest injury raises concerns about the depth of the Los Angeles Rams' quarterback room. Stafford suffered a back injury last season, and it's bothering him again at training camp. Rams head coach Sean McVay said the medical concern will force the QB to miss five practices, but it's not season-ending. "He's been throwing, feeling good. It's not necessarily anything that's new. Something that he's dealt with before," the coach told the media. "Going into year 17, we were going to take a modified approach with him, kind of similar to what we did in the offseason program. And so we'll allow him to kind of just work off to the side, on his own, getting himself feeling as good as possible." Stafford's durability has already been waning. The 37-year-old QB missed eight games because of a spine injury and concussion during the 2022 season. The following season, he missed one game because of a right thumb injury. The Rams have a capable backup QB, Jimmy Garoppolo. He has a 43-21 starting record in the regular season in 11 years with the San Francisco 49ers, Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots and Rams. Garoppolo, however, is injury-prone. He has battled foot, ankle, knee and shoulder issues over the course of his career. Rams QB Stetson Bennett — a fourth-rounder in the 2023 NFL Draft — has yet to throw a pass in a regular-season game. Plenty of solid free-agent QBs are still available, including one-time Pro Bowler Carson Wentz. He would be a more trustworthy option than Bennett and already knows the Rams' system. The 2016 first-rounder played for the team during the 2023 season. The Rams hope to win their third Super Bowl after consecutive playoff appearances. Injuries at the most important position could derail their aspirations. McVay doesn't seem too concerned about Stafford's health, but L.A. should still consider adding another QB as a precaution.
The Phillies need to replace this struggling bat at the deadline
Another year, another shot at a championship. Since their last World Series appearance in 2022, a match in which they lost, the Philadelphia Phillies have slid backwards, falling in the NLCS in 2023 and the NLDS in 2024. This year, the Phillies are back on top of the NL East, holding a slim half-game lead over the New York Mets entering Tuesday. Still, their season has been far from spotless. The Phillies have gone through immeasurable difficulties from the bullpen without Jeff Hoffman (signed with Blue Jays), Carlos Estevez (signed with Royals) or Jose Alvarado (PED suspension), especially with Jordan Romano’s descent into the dumpster fire. But with new free-agent signing David Robertson in tow, we can expect some degree of stability from the relief corps going forward — though, not to insinuate that team president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is done adding bullpen arms. Another sore spot that received plenty of attention the past few months is in the outfield, left field in particular. Among all qualifying left fielders, Max Kepler maintains the second lowest OPS. Much has been made about potentially replacing him, but as bad as he’s been, there is one Philadelphia infielder that has done even worse. Once a promising bat, second baseman Bryson Stott seems to be reaching rock bottom. Below, you can his stats in comparison to that of Kepler’s: (wRC+: weighted runs created plus represents the culmination of a hitter’s offensive achievements where a value of 100 is MLB’s average) Stott has been more proficient than Kepler at recording hits, but Kepler’s power and higher walk rate gives him the edge in overall offensive stats. It was only in 2023, his second year of MLB action, when Stott hit .280/.329/.414 with 15 home runs. Unfortunately, Stott’s productivity began to slide last season. This year, his slump halted in April when he hit .314 on the month, but it quickly resumed in May (.216), worsened in June (.202) and has reached a fever-pitch in July (.132). If the Phillies are going to claw their way back to the Fall Classic, it may be better if Stott’s bat isn’t in the lineup.
Maple Leafs are reportedly looking to make a splash trade
With the Toronto Maple Leafs losing star Mitch Marner this offseason, the team has had to fill a massive hole in the lineup. The Toronto front office has done a decent job so far, and the roster looks a little more well-rounded. But it seems that the Maple Leafs may not be done making moves this summer. According to NHL insider Nick Kypreos of SportsNet, Toronto could trade away defensemen Morgan Rielly or Brandon Carlo in an attempt to add more offense. "While we do also have Morgan Rielly on this list, if the Leafs move a defenseman it'll likely only be one of them. But while Rielly comes with the complication of a no-movement clause, Brandon Carlo has just an eight-team no-trade list and so is also worth putting on the trade board. "Making $3.485M against the cap for another two years, Carlo was a welcome addition to the Leafs' defense corps, averaging 19:13 of ice time per game and nearly two minutes on the PK. In the playoffs, he was among the team's shot-blocking leaders," Kypreos wrote. Marner accounted for 27 goals and 75 assists last season, which will be very tough for the Maple Leafs to replace. But the team does have a limited number of tradable assets to work with, which could potentially be why they are thinking of trading a defender. The Toronto front office remains very active on the trade front and it could lead to a deal taking place. There is still plenty of time left between now and the start of the regular season, giving the Maple Leafs some needed optionality before the new year.
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