The writing was on the wall the whole time.
Not enough people looked, and the ones who did refused to acknowledge what they saw.
But when Candace Parker walked off the court after the Sky’s Game 5 collapse in the semifinals against the Connecticut Sun, it seemed unlikely that she was coming back.
It’s not because she wasn’t interested in re-signing, either. As recently as last week, the two-time WNBA champion was seriously considering a return to the Sky.
Ultimately, though, they failed to lock in pieces that could entice her to stay, bringing us back to her walk off the court. It was a moment that signaled the Sky no longer had the juice to attract championship-caliber players in free agency. It was the end of their title-contending window.
So what should the Sky do? Lock in, fans, because a rebuild is imminent.
Parker’s exit sets in motion a series of possible moves, including Courtney Vandersloot signing with another team. By signing Parker, the Aces put themselves back in title contention with no real competition in sight.
Coach Becky Hammon’s starting lineup for 2023 will include four No. 1 overall draft picks and Chelsea Gray, who’s considered the league’s top point guard by many after her outstanding 2022 season. The only way to compete with a superteam is to form your own.
Enter the New York Liberty.
Breanna Stewart has narrowed her landing spots to the Seattle Storm or the Liberty, according to WINSIDR’s Rachel Galligan. Combine that with a report from Ramona Shelburne that Vandersloot’s decision will have an influence on Stewart’s, and a title contender on the East Coast begins to come into focus.
If the Liberty were to add Stewart and Vandersloot to an already-stacked roster that includes Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones, they could give Parker’s Aces a run for their money.
There’s an ocean that separates the Aces and that potential Liberty roster from the rest of the league.
Without Parker and potentially Vandersloot, the Sky will need to retool with 2021 WNBA Finals MVP Kahleah Copper as the player they build around.
Copper averaged a career-high 15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists last season playing alongside three other All-Stars in Parker, Vandersloot and Emma Meesseman, who is also an unrestricted free agent. If all those stars leave, Copper likely would be among the league’s leading scorers. But she can’t shoulder all the weight if the Sky are to be remotely competitive.
The league is about to enter a transition period that will see a massive shift in competition.
In the last two years, the WNBA has experienced remarkable parity. But Parker’s decision to sign with the Aces puts them in a category of their own. It may force the hand of Stewart and Vandersloot to establish another formidable opponent. The rest of the league would be left in the dust.
How coach/general manager James Wade fills out his roster in free agency will determine whether the Sky are staring up at the elite teams from the middle or bottom of the league. Without Parker, they have no chance of being near the top.
