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readyAIMfire53
Joined: 20 Nov 2004
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 Posted: 01/01/24 9:34 pm ::: |
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| Shades wrote: |
Four Predictions for the Mystics in 2024 (by Albert Lee)
Check out his rationale at the link
https://www.bulletsforever.com/platform/amp/mystics/2023/12/31/24020667/washington-mystics-predictions-2024
Prediction 1: The Mystics re-sign Elena Delle Donne and Natasha Cloud, but not at max salaries
I see this as less of a prediction and more like wishful thinking.
Would be great if both EDD & Cloud9 sign. EDD has earned the max she's gotten but can't do it anymore, so should accept less. Cloud9 should get max or they could lose her. She's a hot commodity in free agency.
Prediction 2: Myisha Hines-Allen will be on the proverbial “hot seat” as she enters a contract year
Something tells me he is not a fan.
MHA can have another season like the covid season, now that's she's finally recovered from injuries. She's doing great overseas. Yes, she's been a disappointment at her current high salary. She can do a lot better, especially if she's playing beside a big. Shakira not playing until midseason. .
Prediction 3: Ariel Atkins is the only Mystics player on the USA Basketball women’s national team for the 2024 Olympics
Isn’t it sacrilege for a Mystics fan to not push Delle Donne as an Olympian?
EDD should have the opportunity to earn a spot on the Olympics squad. If healthy, she should make it.
Prediction 4: The Mystics make the playoffs and host a playoff game. But will lose in the semifinals
He must be a psychic if he can confidently predict this before seeing how free agency pans out. |
If Mystics have even an average # of injuries, they certainly can host first round, depending on when Shakira is eligible to play. If they peak late, they can get to semis.
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Shades
Joined: 10 Jul 2006
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| Posted: 01/02/24 12:41 am ::: |
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| If people go directly to this page of the thread, they might get confused and think I wrote all these comments. For the record, I editorialized only in red. That’s RAF who made their comments in bold black.
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Admiral_Needa
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J-Spoon
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johnjohnW
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| Posted: 01/10/24 8:50 pm ::: |
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| I’m really curious what role EDD can play at this point. Any team would be glad to have her but her injury history makes her a tough signing.
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J-Spoon
Joined: 31 Jan 2009
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| Posted: 01/10/24 9:09 pm ::: |
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Another factor might be if she is trying to prove she is healthy so she can make a run at one more Olympic team.
If not PX maybe Minny?
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readyAIMfire53
Joined: 20 Nov 2004
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readyAIMfire53
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| Posted: 01/10/24 9:34 pm ::: |
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Mystics need to re-sign Tasha and go BIG with draft picks/free agency. Assuming EDD signs elsewhere, the Mystics will have a LOT of $$ to throw at top free agents. In the draft, one of Kamilla Cardoso, Ayoka Lee or Elizabeth Kitley will be available. The Mystics can offer Jonquel more than NY can pay her and her outside shot means she can play alongside Shakira - when she's ready to play. Not sure if the Libs can get all of Breanna, Jonquel and Sloot to take less than their worth for another season.
In the playoffs, it was the Mystics' lack of size that defeated them. Period. While the odds are they won't again lead the league in games lost to injury, the team needs to get taller than they are, especially since we don't know when the tallest player will be ready to play. This has to be the focal point in both the draft and free agency.
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J-Spoon
Joined: 31 Jan 2009
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| Posted: 01/10/24 11:19 pm ::: |
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I could see the Mystics make a play for either Jonquel or Brionna Jones both would be a great addition
I believe Washington can only offer the regular max which is about 208k Ny can probably scrape up about 200k for JJ if Stewart takes the super max so it is not that different .
I think healthy Griner and Edd can make any team a winner
If not PX I think Minny makes a lot of sense, maybe LA.
I would agree that EDD not returning might be a good thing fo the Mystics. Free up some money for new free agents while staying relevant with a new core of Atkins, Sykes, free agent (one of the Joneses, Nneka, A. Smith, Billings, Coffey), Cloud or another free agent PG (Canada, Allen, Clarendon) return a healthy Austin, keep developing Egbo, add #6 pick post (Kitley, Edwards, Lee, Jackson) or PG if they don’t resign Cloud or get one in free agency (Amoore, Sheldon).
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eyevolley4
Joined: 27 Apr 2006
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| Posted: 01/11/24 8:22 am ::: |
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Assume Clark is in the draft.
Indiana can offer EDD the max for two years without having to worry much about disrupting their core.
Mitchell
Clark
EDD
Smith
Boston
With Vivians, Hull, Wheeler, Berger… there’s enough money to offer Kalani Brown or Alanna Smith a nice increase.
This would be a very good roster.
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Richyyy
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
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| Posted: 01/11/24 11:14 am ::: |
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Delle Donne really isn't a 3, even more so these days. That lineup would have to play a monumental amount of zone. More likely Smith comes off the bench when EDD isn't injured.
Seems far more likely to me that she goes somewhere that has already shown they're built to win. Otherwise might as well stay in Washington. |
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HomerCecil
Joined: 30 Nov 2005
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| Posted: 01/11/24 11:58 am ::: |
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If winning is what drives EDD, which is what she says, I would be very surprised if she ends up anywhere other than New York or Las Vegas. She can afford to take a lesser salary, much like Parker did in Vegas, which is appropriate anyway since there's a good chance she won't play in half the team's games.
As a Mystics fan, I thank her for taking us to the pinnacle, and she earned the four-year contract she just completed. But I also think it's best for both sides to move on.
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ChiSky54
Joined: 19 Jun 2019
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| Posted: 01/11/24 7:24 pm ::: |
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EDD thinks very highly of herself, but I think it's pushing it for her to believe she should be cored at this point. Yes, she's a difference maker when she plays, but with her illness/injury history, I think it would be hard to justify. Her production is also declining.
Besides, unless I've missed something, it's always been important to be near her sister. She's already as close as she can get with the existing teams. Is that no longer a priority?
I'm really not being salty here (although I am still salty about her Chi-Town exit) - I'm just trying to make sense of this.
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Rock Hard
Joined: 02 Aug 2010
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| Posted: 01/12/24 12:20 am ::: |
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| ChiSky54 wrote: |
EDD thinks very highly of herself, but I think it's pushing it for her to believe she should be cored at this point. Yes, she's a difference maker when she plays, but with her illness/injury history, I think it would be hard to justify. Her production is also declining.
Besides, unless I've missed something, it's always been important to be near her sister. She's already as close as she can get with the existing teams. Is that no longer a priority?
I'm really not being salty here (although I am still salty about her Chi-Town exit) - I'm just trying to make sense of this. |
Do not apologize for being salty about Broke Back mountain. I have so much salty disdain towards that woman, that I could turn Lake Michigan into a salty 🌊 sea.
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ChiSky54
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HomerCecil
Joined: 30 Nov 2005
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| Posted: 01/12/24 11:06 am ::: |
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| ChiSky54 wrote: |
Oh Rocky, I was not apologizing - I really and truly was trying to be objective in spite of my (still very strong) feelings!
She left UConn to go to Delaware because of bball burnout and wanting to be close to Lizzie. Then her family concerns became part of the reason she left the Sky.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ct-elena-delle-donne-mystics-sky-wnba-20170418-story.html
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| ...But she was unsettled. Thumb surgery ended her 2016 season five games before the playoffs started. In October, the Sky dismissed Pokey Chatman as head coach and general manager. She longed to play closer to home, given she is particularly close to her older sister Lizzie, who has autism and cerebral palsy. In December, three days after Amber Stocks replaced Chatman as coach and general manager in Chicago, Delle Donne made public her willingness to sit out the 2017 season if a deal to move her closer to Delaware could not be completed... |
Okay, so the Stocks situation ultimately would have prompted anyone to get out of town!  But I don't see any options that will get her what she wants unless she's willing to burn a lot of money traveling. I hope the Styx don't cave to her desire! If they don't, what's she gonna do? |
With all due respect, that story is from 2017. A lot can change in seven years. I understand being salty at the way she left UConn (as a teenager, I'll remind you) and then left the Sky (although she was far from the only player who wanted out in Chicago... See Fowles, Sylvia), but dragging her sister into this argument is kind of gross, in my opinion. And Kahleah Copper hasn't turned out to be a bad return in that trade.
All that's been reported is that she's likely to leave DC unless she's cored. We have no idea whether she even wants to be cored; it's just that if she is, her hands are tied in terms of negotiating with other teams.
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ChiSky54
Joined: 19 Jun 2019
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| Posted: 01/12/24 12:44 pm ::: |
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I wasn't trying to start an argument. She's always made it clear that being near Lizzie is important. I'm assuming that's still important, so my question is how she will be able to reconcile that if she signs with a different team since all are farther rather than closer.
Toliver and Dupree come to mind as others before EDD and Fowles who also got out of town. It's an unfortunate pattern for the Sky. And yes, Kah worked out well for us!
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readyAIMfire53
Joined: 20 Nov 2004
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| Posted: 01/13/24 7:27 pm ::: |
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| J-Spoon wrote: |
I could see the Mystics make a play for either Jonquel or Brionna Jones both would be a great addition
I believe Washington can only offer the regular max which is about 208k Ny can probably scrape up about 200k for JJ if Stewart takes the super max so it is not that different .
I think healthy Griner and Edd can make any team a winner
If not PX I think Minny makes a lot of sense, maybe LA.
I would agree that EDD not returning might be a good thing fo the Mystics. Free up some money for new free agents while staying relevant with a new core of Atkins, Sykes, free agent (one of the Joneses, Nneka, A. Smith, Billings, Coffey), Cloud or another free agent PG (Canada, Allen, Clarendon) return a healthy Austin, keep developing Egbo, add #6 pick post (Kitley, Edwards, Lee, Jackson) or PG if they don’t resign Cloud or get one in free agency (Amoore, Sheldon). |
I don't see how NY can afford to pay Stewart supermax and J.Jones close to max AND make upgrades to their perimeter defense. They found the Slooty/Sabina/Betnijah backcourt were piss poor defenders, no matter how much Betnijah worked to make up for the deficiencies of the other two.
I just don't think EDD ends up in Phoenix as they need major upgrades in the backcourt to be contenders. It's a toss up whether EDD or DT misses more games.
LA already has similar height PF's that don't play center - they need a tall banger.
Indy makes no sense since EDD is nowhere close to being able to defend SF's and Nalyssa Smith will hold down the PF spot as long as she wants to.
Minny might make sense.
As a Mystics fan, I agree that her 4 year contract was payment for EDD leading the team to their first ring. Thank you Elena! But she's not been able to help the team return to that level, in part due to how she sacrificed her body to keep playing to secure the championship. All that being said, she is not a core level player any more. Only Phoenix overpays superstars on the downside of their careers - Mike T is too pragmatic to let that happen. Mystics need that $$ to secure tall, banging players needed to compete with the top of the league.
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johnjohnW
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| Posted: 01/13/24 8:42 pm ::: |
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| I know SDS isn’t coming back to PHX but it would be wild if she did and they managed to get EDD. The entire 3 to see on one team. Would make an interesting headline even if it’s completely not feasible.
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J-Spoon
Joined: 31 Jan 2009
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| Posted: 01/14/24 1:59 pm ::: |
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Washington cored EDD, interesting.
If I was EDD I would sign it take the super max for a year and call it a day.
I wonder if the Mystics made this move with the intention to trade her or if they hope to negotiate a longer contract at slightly lower rate.
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WNBA 09
Joined: 26 Jun 2009
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| Posted: 01/14/24 5:52 pm ::: |
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| J-Spoon wrote: |
Washington cored EDD, interesting.
If I was EDD I would sign it take the super max for a year and call it a day.
I wonder if the Mystics made this move with the intention to trade her or if they hope to negotiate a longer contract at slightly lower rate. |
Does PHX have enough would be the current question as I don’t keep up with their cap?
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J-Spoon
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| Posted: 01/14/24 8:22 pm ::: |
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| WNBA 09 wrote: |
| J-Spoon wrote: |
Washington cored EDD, interesting.
If I was EDD I would sign it take the super max for a year and call it a day.
I wonder if the Mystics made this move with the intention to trade her or if they hope to negotiate a longer contract at slightly lower rate. |
Does PHX have enough would be the current question as I don’t keep up with their cap? |
One of the reason I see this as a risky move for the mystics unless they intend to keep EDD is I think most teams will be hesitant to trade for her at the super max. I am fuzzy on if a team can trade for while she is cored if she hasn’t signed and could try to negotiate but if she signs she gets the super max.
In short unless DT and I assume Griner signed for considerably less PX could not afford to trade for her maybe if they sent back someone on decent money but even then they would have to scrape to fill out the rest of the roster.
IMO Most teams will have to make some tough cap decisions if they bring in EDD at max. (LV and NY most likely wouldn't be able to afford her with all the money they have committed to other top players unless they swapped out someone on a big contract.)
Connected to that is the question of what is EDD’s value? EDD is too good IMO to return a mid level player or draft pick but might be too injury prone or too much of a cap investment to give up a top player or draft pick.
Maybe there is someone out there who would swap a different big money deal player but this feels like it is the mystics saying they want to give it one more shot with what they have. Could be wrong.
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tfan
Joined: 31 May 2010
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| Posted: 01/15/24 2:03 pm ::: |
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| The Mystics just barely lost to New York last year in the playoffs. I don't think they need to do much beyond sign a good free agent and keep what they had.
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Richyyy
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| Posted: 01/15/24 2:07 pm ::: |
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| Worth remembering that just because she now has a QO for the supermax it doesn't mean she *has* to sign for the supermax - whether with Washington or someone else. Still perfectly able to negotiate anything between the vet minimum and the supermax - and if her priority genuinely is 'winning', then most places she'd be going (or staying) would be helped by her taking at least a little less. |
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J-Spoon
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| Posted: 01/15/24 3:19 pm ::: |
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| Richyyy wrote: |
| Worth remembering that just because she now has a QO for the supermax it doesn't mean she *has* to sign for the supermax - whether with Washington or someone else. Still perfectly able to negotiate anything between the vet minimum and the supermax - and if her priority genuinely is 'winning', then most places she'd be going (or staying) would be helped by her taking at least a little less. |
I was wondering that. I knew she could negotiate with the Mystics but wasn't sure she could negotiate with the team she was traded to.
Would it be correct that she would have to agree to the trade and negotiate her future contract before signing
and if she wanted to she could just sign the offer which would be for one year with the Mystics at the Supermax
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