Lynx Free Agent and Trade Moves Paying Off
The Minnesota Lynx have almost completely reworked their roster since last season after losing longtime starters and captains Maya Moore (leave of absence), Lindsay Whalen (retirement) and Rebecca Brunson (injury).
With only three returning starters from 2018, Lynx head coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve added four players via trades and free agency signings from Feb. 8 to May 21. The results could not have been much better as all four players are having career years. The main needs for the team were a floor leader and more outside shooting to spread the floor and take pressure off center Sylvia Fowles. Each move has moved the team in that direction.
Damiris Dantas was signed as a free agent from the Atlanta Dream on Feb. 8. She had previously played for the Lynx in 2014 and 2015. Dantas is currently averaging career highs in points (8.4) and assists (2.8) per game. She has also become a legitimate 3-point threat, going 26-of-66 this season (.394) compared to the combined shooting of 44-of-153 (.288) over the past five seasons. Dantas had career highs in points (22), assists (6) and steals (3) in June of this season.
Lexie Brown was acquired in a trade with the Connecticut Sun for the draft rights to Natisha Hiedeman on April 10. After averaging only 5.6 minutes and 1.7 points her rookie season, Brown has become a solid contributor off the bench for the Lynx, averaging 7.4 points in 19.2 minutes per game. Similar to Dantas, Brown developed her 3-point shooting, improving last season’s 9-of-29 (.310) totals to 38-of-95 (.410) shooting so far this season. Brown scored a career-high 21 points on June 8 and is the first Lynx player to score 20+ points off the bench in multiple games since Monica Wright and Charde Houston did it in 2010.
Stephanie Talbot joined the Lynx in a May 21 trade with the Phoenix Mercury for a 2020 2nd-round draft pick. Talbot's scoring has increased from 3.7 points per game last season to 6.5 this season largely due to improved 3-point shooting. She has already made 29 of 78 (.372) from beyond the arc this season compared to 33 of 86 (.384) combined in the previous two seasons. The Australian native scored a career-high 24 points on July 2nd. She has also been impressive on the defensive end, doubling her steals average from 0.5 to 1.0 including a career-high four thefts on July 24th.
Odyssey Sims came to the Lynx via an Apr. 22 trade with the Los Angeles Sparks for Alexis Jones. Sims is having a phenomenal season and was named to her first WNBA All-Star team. Although Sims was not projected to start prior to the season opener, Seimone Augustus’ knee issues that kept her out of the lineup (until Aug. 6) and allowed Sims to step in and contribute as a starter immediately. Sims has done it all this season. Offensively, she leads the team in scoring average, assists and free throws made and attempted. Defensively, she ranks second in steals. She’s increased her scoring from 8.2 points per game to 14.5, assists per game from 2.8 to 5.5 and assist rate from 17.3 to 29.6. Sims’ outstanding season puts her in the running for Most Improved Player.
Unfortunate injuries to Augustus, Karima Christmas-Kelly, Jessica Shepard and even Damiris Dantas allowed this group to get more playing time and show what they can do. Reeve’s insistence on her team not passing up open shots has likely instilled confidence in 3-point shooting.
It’s not easy to bring any one new player into a system and have it work out well, but Cheryl Reeve and the Minnesota Lynx have done as well as could be reasonably expected with four players added. Injuries have necessitated many different lineups which has led to an up-and-down season, but the Lynx are currently over .500 at 13–12 and very much in the hunt for a playoff spot. Combining these additions with injuries and personnel losses from last season should reflect well on Reeve and perhaps include her in coach of the year conversations.
If you like this content, please support our work at Her Hoop Stats by subscribing for just $20 a year. WNBA stats are from stats.wnba.com and Basketball-Reference.com and the Minnesota Lynx media guide unless otherwise hyperlinked and are current through 8/15/19.
