Angel Reese traded for draft picks

[Moranis]

Chicago traded Reese to Atlanta for a 2027 and 2028 1st and 2nd round swap rights. Seems like an odd trade for Chicago and a great trade for Atlanta. I guess Angel wore out her welcome in Chicago when she criticized the direction of the team last year. Still to trade your leading scorer, rebounder, and assist generator for a couple of likely late 1st round picks is just odd to me.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I think they had to pick a direction, between her or Cardosa. Those two just didn't work well together. And remember that Cardosa was taken before Reese in the draft by Chicago.

I think Reese is a good player. I think a team is going to have to put specific players are her to be successful because her playstyle is a bit inflexible.

The ongoing concern is her efficiency and turnovers. She takes a lot of bad shots, and forces it way too much inside for a below average finisher. If a team can work with her to maximize her best shots and minimize the bad shots, then she could be a real problem for teams.

[Roy H.]

Chicago traded Reese to Atlanta for a 2027 and 2028 1st and 2nd round swap rights. Seems like an odd trade for Chicago and a great trade for Atlanta. I guess Angel wore out her welcome in Chicago when she criticized the direction of the team last year. Still to trade your leading scorer, rebounder, and assist generator for a couple of likely late 1st round picks is just odd to me.

Is it the 10 wins that Chicago will miss, the really inefficient% shooting, or the massively inflated ego?

[Who]

Angel Reese = 3.7 assists to 3.9 turnovers
Cardoso = 2.5 assists to 2.4 turnovers

Man, that is a lot of turnovers from Angel Reese. 4th in the league in overall turnovers. 2nd in turnovers per game to Caitlin Clark who probably did not play enough to qualify.

Maybe Angel should be trying to do less on offense. Barely at league average TS% despite the big improvement from her rookie season.

[Moranis]

Chicago traded Reese to Atlanta for a 2027 and 2028 1st and 2nd round swap rights. Seems like an odd trade for Chicago and a great trade for Atlanta. I guess Angel wore out her welcome in Chicago when she criticized the direction of the team last year. Still to trade your leading scorer, rebounder, and assist generator for a couple of likely late 1st round picks is just odd to me.

Is it the 10 wins that Chicago will miss, the really inefficient% shooting, or the massively inflated ego?

they were 9-21 with her and 1-13 without her.  Her on/off differential per 100 was +7.5 (Cardoso was -3.3). She was most certainly not the reason they weren't any good.  She is also 23. 

Her and Cardoso were not a great fit, but Reese is a much better rebounder, a better passer, and scored more points per shot in large part because Reese gets to the line a lot.   Neither one spreads the floor.   

2 late 1st round picks for your 23 year old just entering her 3rd year player is a terrible trade.  Atlanta got a steal.

[Moranis]

Angel Reese = 3.7 assists to 3.9 turnovers
Cardoso = 2.5 assists to 2.4 turnovers

Man, that is a lot of turnovers from Angel Reese. 4th in the league in overall turnovers. 2nd in turnovers per game to Caitlin Clark who probably did not play enough to qualify.

Maybe Angel should be trying to do less on offense. Barely at league average TS% despite the big improvement from her rookie season.

Reese gets to the line a lot.  Her FTr last year was 51 5. It is a big part of her effectiveness offensively.  I mean she drew 85 fouls in her 30 games.  Cardoso was next best on the team with 71 shooting and 1 offensive but did that in 40 games.  She had 26 and1 the rest of the team had 39 combined for the whole year.  All of those are significant improvements over her rookie year.  She has too many shots blocked, but that was also better than her rookie year.

The Sky traded their best player who is still just 23 about to enter her 3rd year for what will almost certainly be a couple of late 1st round picks. It is a terrible trade.

[Who]

Do Angel Reese and Caroso play well together?

Neither player appears able to make a jump-shot consistently. I imagine that created spacing issues for the team on offense. That it became a one or the other situation.

Cardoso made 8 shots outside of 10 feet all in 40 games last season. A Reese made 9 shots in 30 games. Neither one of them can space the floor.

[Moranis]

Do Angel Reese and Caroso play well together?

Neither player appears able to make a jump-shot consistently. I imagine that created spacing issues for the team on offense. That it became a one or the other situation.

Cardoso made 8 shots outside of 10 feet all in 40 games last season. A Reese made 9 shots in 30 games. Neither one of them can space the floor.

They do not and they likely had to trade one, I just think they made the wrong choice and then sold very low. 

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Do Angel Reese and Caroso play well together?

Neither player appears able to make a jump-shot consistently. I imagine that created spacing issues for the team on offense. That it became a one or the other situation.

Cardoso made 8 shots outside of 10 feet all in 40 games last season. A Reese made 9 shots in 30 games. Neither one of them can space the floor.

They do not and they likely had to trade one, I just think they made the wrong choice and then sold very low.

It's possible. WNBA isn't really like the NBA. Their trades don't normally involve four first round picks. That was a pretty solid haul for Reese. And from my understanding, Reese was entering the last year of her rookie contract, and was going to be an UFA. Another way the WNBA is different is that the best teams all seem to have a 6'5" girl or above anchoring the inside. It's almost like the NBA used to be with the need to have a decent 7 footer inside.

I think Reese is a winning basketball player and won't be surprised if she wins a championship, but if you are building around one of the two, I get why it would be easier to pick Cardosa. I wouldn't be surprised at all if both Chicago and Atlanta take a step forward from the trade.