The Chicago Sky Have A Quiet Trade Deadline And That's Ok | Coach Spoon Motivates Michaela Onyenwere

Intro the Chicago Sky have a quiet trade deadline much to the dismay of some Chicago Sky fans plus Angel Reese gets a new deal and Theresa Weatherspoon says who the most versatile player on this team is and it's not who you think it is we're going to get to all that more right after this welcome to Chicago Sky Central and here's your host Hayes what's going on Sky fans welcome to another episode of Chicago Sky Central your number one spot for everything Chicago Sky related I'm the host their haes but more importantly you guys can follow the channel at Chicago skypod on every social media platform we happen to be on with that being said let's goad and get into this content for today and so I want to start off with Quiet Trade Deadline the Chicago Sky quiet trade deadline and this was a deadline that went by after the sky have already traded away Marina maber and no the guy did not go out and get a point guard they did not go out and get Shooters they didn't trade Dana Evans or any other player that you're upset with and that was always what was going to happen and I think I I understand why sky fans both old and new look at this team and say hey we need this we need that because we do but I think the Chicago Sky have have just prioritized development the Chicago sky are already ahead of where where the team was expected to be and I think some some people forget that this team is not at the place where they're trying to make moves to win now and give up assets they're at a place of holding on to their assets and the assets that they had that they would have moved like ad Dana Evans who reportedly they did shop is not going to net you back anything that changes the Outlook of this team and I think and I understand the the the heartache that that brings a lot of Sky fans or the Hope right as always as fans were always hoping that our team are going to make this move or that move to drastically improve the team in the sky right now in a place where development is the focus not only development but evaluation and I know some people are going to say well how can you really evaluate this team without having the pieces that you need well you can't that's the point of your job and you're looking at the individual pieces so you can know exactly what you need to add and part of what this franchise is also looking at is who they're going to keep on this roster and I think that goes into a quote we have from Tua wepon we'll get into the into during the next segment but overall I understand it right and I understand why you know Sky fans said that you know there's these point guards out there we're going to add this where we're going to do that and it wasn't going to happen and and and I for the most part have been telling you guys that now when we had an open roster spot it was different I did think the guy maybe could look to sign somebody or maybe wait to see who's wave to who doesn't get picked up but you know after making the trade from rer mry bringing two players back for the one that we traded out filling out the No More Trades roster with no more open roster spots it just wasn't going to happen the guy aren't going to give up any more picks for a team that is this young and and is this far away right and I think know that's the thing is that I get it we have Angel she's great and I get it we have Camila who's start turn around and we got Kennedy Carter who's great as well but there there was no move for this guy team to make realis toate at the deadline that's going to change the skag guys Outlook they're already a team that is pushing and trying to compete for a playoff spot which is good enough right for where you are right now and if you can get Camila and Angel even if it is just one playoff series in a couple of games if you can get them that experience I think that goes a long way of of again you being ahead of your development already because this guy team was picked by a lot of outlets to be 12th in the wnb there's only 12 teams you know they were picked to be 12th this season so you know I get it and I understand but you know you look at it this team is really trying to evaluate right and the only pieces that the sky team had that anybody around the league would have really been interested in is Kennedy Carter angrew Reese and Camila cardoso and those are three pieces that the sky are looking to hold on to not looking to move off of and while I get it people are upset by Diamond the shields I was you guys see in the video a couple of weeks ago that you know in evaluating Diamond The Shield Season I get it that people are over Dana Evans and it comes down to it those players especially Dana being a free agent at the end of this year they're not going to get they weren't going to net you back any type of assets that really changed this team and where it's going to be this is a team that is not going to be good over the back half of the Season me and steo have told you this is not going to be a good basketball team now they are going to win some games by just how hard they play by the skill that is here by you know the defense that they can play at times like they're going to win some games but steo said it best when he said that expect some very ugly wins and some very ugly losses over the second half of the season but this team is in a development in evaluation mode they're trying to see who's going to stick around on this team Michaela Oni wde is a player that could stick around on on the scene for sure right seeing what what a Rachel banam even though you know her and Mariah Jefferson are under contract it's good to have those veterans under contract even with how young you're going but this is going to be a team that is a lot new next season there's going to be a lot of new pieces that are here on the sky team next season just by the nature of us having two first round picks by the nature of how many players that we also have that are are not under contract that are going to be free ages at the end of the year on top of an expansion draft and a regular draft and all those type of things when it comes down to it I get it It's upsetting make no mistake about it I understand why people are are upset but this is not this was not going No Splash Moves to be the type of team that was going to make a splash move at the trade deadline there were no splash moves to make this guy didn't have the assets that they wanted to give up and at the end of the day they aren't at that place like what would have move for a point guard would have made right now for this guy would have maybe won them an extra playoff game and I get it we want to see this team go as far as possible and you should but it's it again I'm more realistic that when you look at this roster next season the players that we have under roster are basically Angel ree Camila cardoso Kennedy Carter is a restricted free agent Dana Evans a restricted free agent Diamond the shields is an unrestricted free agent Mariah Jefferson Rachel banam Lindsey Allen those are the veterans that we have under contract Elizabeth Williams an unrestricted free agent so like all these players are coming up off of their contracts M only we a another restrictive free agent and I think it's more important for the sky because you're not going to you're not going to let everybody go to evaluate what pieces fit where they fit next to the young players what do we think we're going to bring in how many of these veterans we want to keep around who do we make available in the expansion draft all those things are more important right now for where the Chicago sky are than making some type of move that is going to get you some three-point shooting that is only going to help a little bit for where you are this season and so you know that's where it comes down to again if the sky were willing to give up some assets maybe that was different if they had more young pieces but so much of this team is coming off of their contracts next year it's going to be a big thing for it so the sky are going to have roughly about four uh $487,000 under the salary cap uh next season so you look at that um you know that's going to come down to it and that that's that's a big thing I mean I'm sorry they're going to have a little over a million dollars it's actually our roster is only 4400 400 a little over $400,000 um so that leaves you a lot that leaves you a lot of space to do some things with right and so we'll see what the sky what the sky do keep in mind this isn't the NBA the the the sky salary cap is $1.5 million so we're going to have most of our cap available to us if we do want to make a splash move then even if you do want to make a trade then and absorb some salary send out some future picks without having to match and send a player that you you may want to keep the sky are going to have that flexibility as well as the restricted free agents even with Dana Evans right whether the guy want to keep her or not if a team does want to kind of get her a little bit of extra money much like when we got Marina Ma CH trades are available for restricted free agents so the guy have some flexibility Build For The Future in that and I think they they maximize or they they value the flexibility and the development over the second half of the season and also keep in mind the sky are trying to keep their their own first round pick as well in this one when they have two first round picks there was no need as much as we want for this team to be better there's no need to kind of make a deal where you got to give up something now the best chance that the guy would have had to bring in some considerable Talent while still making a trade would have maybe been Marina May but again we got the first round pick over the talent in that case had they been looking for a player right now for Marina ma there are other teams that would have been interested but they made the the the the move for future picks and I think that shows you where this team is right now they are building for the future they are not caught up in in just the right now and us as fans we are in the right now right we want to see this team win now and I've said it before mean steo have said it the hardest thing to do sometimes is to look at the future and that's what this team is trying to do that's what Jeff pagliosa is trying to do now no they're not tanking either right they're going to try to win every game from here to the end of the season they're not tanking to try to make themselves have this higher pick but I think the sky have read the tea leaves and have understood now that this is where this team is this team is probably going to get in the playoffs and even if they don't get in the playoffs because of whatever then all right they're going to have a lottery Pick and those two things either or are really valuable to the scam if you get some playoff experience for your first year players and Kennedy Carter great if you don't and you miss out on the postseason then you get an even better pick and right now it doesn't seem like you're going to you're going to have a higher pick than the Dallas wings so you're not really worried about them taking your pick either with that pick swap so right now was the perfect time for this guy to kind of stand Pat just let the season play out the way that it's naturally going to conclude and we'll see where we stand we already have lost uh uh the Atlanta Dream are catching up ground on us we started off two games above them we only have a one game lead on them now the dream are going to be playing much better on the back half of this season so the sky have a possibility of being in that in that area and keep in mind the Dallas Wings aren't that good either so they're one of three teams with only six wins so even if we were to have a worse record than the Dallas Wings somehow or end up with a better pick than them their pick is still going to be in that Lottery and you still get a chance with two bites at the Apple to get some really good uh get some really good prospects there so that's where it Michaela Onyenwere stands with the Chicago Sky moving on from that and that one of the things that I think plays into the sky being in an evaluation mode is one of the comments that came out from Tosha rather spoon so she was asked about who the most um versatile player on this team is and she said this I've spoken about Michaela since day one she's our most versatile player uh and listen I know that's going to be something that maybe not a lot of people expected to hear she goes on further to explain even when she wasn't playing you can look over at the bench and see what she was uh she was an incredible teammate but Mela has worked her way into this lineup and you see how special she is offensively and defensively she can guard one through five puts the ball on the floor with tremendous power and strength she plays a huge part in our success and this I think goes into as well now this is some of Teresa Weatherspoon as a coach I think motivating her young player uh for the remainder of the season to kind of give a little bit more but Michaela Oni we day is in a place where this guy team is looking to evaluate how do you fit next to Kennedy Carter how do you fit next to Angel Reese and out there with Camila cardoso right those are things that they're trying to do because if Michaela on wde who admittedly hasn't a lot this season but if she does show something in her going into restrictive free agency and you keep her even if it ends up being a bench piece or another Young Piece that you give a one or two-year deal to see if she can round out her game a little bit more this is a former Rookie of the Year and while it was one of the most disappointing rookie classes in the WNBA she still does have some Talent there and so uh Teresa Weatherspoon always the the the the coach that's trying to motivate her players I think this plays into it as well she's trying to give a little bit of extra motivation to Michaela to play a little bit better over the second half of the season and see what she's going to bring and Michaela for her for her uh you know wor said this I'm always ready when I wasn't playing as much I just focused on being the best human I could be but also staying prepared whether I play 2 minutes or 30 minutes I always be ready and we're going to need Michaela Oni W day to be ready over the latter half of the season because she's in now a starter right and she's no longer a question on if she's going to play You're a starter and nobody's really playing well enough right now to supp you in that role so at the end of the day you're going to finish the season being a starter she's only 25 years old basically same age as Kennedy Carter and she still has a lot of potential left now that that may not be starting level potential but that is more potential and when you look at since the break since we came back from the allstar break she's averaged basically 23 minutes per game over that that break since the allstar break and so you know the the the numbers themselves haven't been great right so it it just hasn't she hasn't scored a lot she scored 5.6 points and two points respectively over those three games but when you look at it she's starting to fill the stat sheet right two steals uh two rebounds two points in one game six points two rebounds three assists one steal one block one steal one two assists those type of things Michaela on where that's how you build confidence is find ways to impact the game the best that you can and when you get in your Rhythm that is where it's going to be a little bit special for so I think Michaela on where terresa Weatherspoon is basically put a highlight because you know what Angel is you know what Kennedy Carter is still trying to figure out Camila cardoso but we know that she's going to be a part of this team in the future regardless of anything but you're trying to figure out what that role what the best situation for Michaela onw day is and how she fits next to these pieces you already know or hope are going to be part of your your your future for a while so those are all things that are playing into it uh there there're again I get it I understand a lot of people are upset by the no moves at the trade deadline but when you look at trying to evaluate players like Michaela on W when you look at how many players are going to either be restricted free agents or outright unrestricted free agents next season for the Chicago Sky all those things play into this you want to continue to evaluate because we're trying to get younger and while Lindsay Allen Mariah Jefferson Rachel banam all point guards basically right though some of those ladies are going to be made available at the uh for the expansion draft but outside of that you got you you have um all young players on this team and you're trying to figure out who else can stick around and for that I'm not too mad at but with that said let's go and Angel Reese get into the next topic and that's on Angel Reese Angel Reese uh announced a collaboration with uh Reese's officially now it's actually going to be in app Peril line they've uh they've already announced and released the pieces and this is something that angel ree has been excited about you saw it on social media she says she's going to announce something later on that day she announced it it's this deal saying that she's been trying to get uh a deal with him for four years and this makes sense right you got Angel Reese the Reese's brand it just makes sense it's called Reese's Angels is the name of the brand um we'll see I probably won't be buying any of its very uh woman focus and that's perfectly fine go out and support Angel Reese get you some of it maybe I'll get my my my 13 or 16 year old daughter uh some of this apparel I won't be wearing it I got enough I got got a special Angel ree shirt coming in though but that's what it comes down to and so you know Angel ree who continually just shows that and a lot of WNBA players the WNBA brand is growing and there are more and more brand opportunities for for the WNBA players than ever before and that is going to help solidify this league by players maybe not having to go out as much over season play right we know that angel is playing in the unrivaled league and we'll see her there but uh you know this is just the continual growth of the game and I for one can't be mad at the game continually growing and getting into the right direction that we want it and need it to be so these ladies can support feed themselves and their family without necessarily have go three four months overseas in China or Russia or whatever it is so you know that's the thing that you're hoping that this league continues to grow go to and uh yeah Angel ree got this she got to deal with rebok not her own signature shoot yet but Ang making moves this year and for all this to happen in her rookie season it's really kind of dispelling a lot of the kind of problems around the WNBA that we've seen for the last handful of years let's just hope that it continues now with that said we also got it announced that the Chicago Sky will host a Barbie theme night August 30th this is in eight days this is next week um in the last game against the Caitlyn Clark and the fever listen we know she's a Shytown Barbie the byou Barbie all those type of things so the fact that they're hosting a Barbie theme night again it just it just plays into the brand it's a smart thing it's a smart Ploy of course they know everybody's going to want to see Angel Reese versus Caitlyn Clark again even though they're not going to uh defend each other really any in that except on switches so you know it is what it is and it's good that uh that this is officially with Mattel and you know we'll see if this works into a deal later on down the road with Angel ree actually having maybe her own Barbie and partnering with Mattel at some point so we know that Mattel is already doing some things with you know trying to celebrate women's sports and we'll see what else comes about this so I think this is a really good deal it's really good promotion for that they may even announce a bar before Angel Reese and during this night wouldn't be surprised if they do it be taking advantage of everything that goes into it so this is a a really good thing I think for the for for Angel Ree and for the Chicago Sky to kind of add a little bit of extra to one of their games we don't we don't always get to see that so now that we do get to see it I think that is I think that is really good uh that we get to see that and we get to see how it's going to continue to develop and things like that so that's Outro my thought process that's the show for today a little bit of a shorter show than normal we usually try to go about 20 minutes but we got a game tomorrow make sure you guys stay tuned in with 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for everything Chicago Sky related thanks to you guys and I'll see you guys the next time we go to Sky Town peace y'all this has been a presentation of the break media