The Connecticut Sun have rebuffed a trade request from veteran guard Marina Mabrey, as team president Jennifer Rizzotti insists that the franchise is "not hitting the panic button."
"We're not hitting the panic button," Rizzotti told Sportico. "We feel good about the moves that we've made. We've been very intentional about our priorities."
The Sun will look a lot different in 2025 than a season ago. The entire starting lineup from last year's team has moved on, either by trade or free agency. Brionna Jones and DeWanna Bonner, the franchise's two All-Stars, left in free agency. The Sun also moved on from Alyssa Thomas and DiJonai Carrington.
But Mabrey remained on the roster as one of the lone rotation pieces remaining. Even though she requested a trade, Rizzotti is not fulfilling the request. Mabrey was acquired last season in a trade with the Chicago Sky that sent Rachel Banham and Moriah Jefferson to Chicago, as well as the rights to swap first-round picks in 2026.
"We knew at the time that she had already forced her way out of two teams, so it was a bit risky to trade for her, but we felt like it was worth it," Rizzotti said of Mabrey.
In 16 games with the Sun last season, Mabrey averaged 14.9 points and 3.4 assists per game.
The Sun reached the WNBA semifinals last season, but appear primed to take a step back, whether Mabrey is on the final roster or not.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Connecticut Sun Bluntly Reject Veteran Guard's Trade Request.
