Seattle Storm Offseason

We Need to Talk About Breanna Stewart’s Defense

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Through the first two years of her WNBA career, Seattle Storm star Breanna Stewart is a case study in the limits of both our perceptions as fans and advanced analytics.

Read almost any story about Stewart’s on-court performance and her defense is bound to earn a graf or two. Even when Stewart is mentioned in passing, her contributions on the defensive end are likely to receive a mention.

It’s not hard to see why. Stewart ranked third in blocks per game (1.9) as a rookie and then sixth (1.6) in her second season. She finished runner-up to Sylvia Fowles in the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year voting, collecting eight votes. To put Stewart’s 1.7 blocks per game in perspective, only six players in WNBA history have averaged more blocks on a nightly basis over their careers.StewartBlockThe quintessential Breanna Stewart block—we’ll call it a Brenial™—arguably came in what was her fourth game as a pro. Bria Hartley beat Jewell Loyd and appeared to have a clear path to the basket on the baseline. However, Stewart reacted quickly to rotate over and swat Hartley’s attempt away with two hands.

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Will Jewell Loyd Take the All-Star Leap in 2018?

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Since the Seattle Storm’s reboot truly commenced in 2015, no player has been more confounding than Jewell Loyd.

In some sense, Loyd is a microcosm for the Storm as a whole over the last three years; the results have been promising, but at the same time you can’t help but feel there’s a boatload of potential we’ve yet to see materialize.

Loyd averaged 17.7 points and 3.4 assists, and she shot a career-high 38.6 percent from beyond the arc in 2017. She was second on the team in player efficiency rating (19.1) and net rating (2.9) and third in win shares (2.8).

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Natasha Howard Trade Shows Ambition But Carries Big Risk

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As if the Seattle Storm hadn’t already indicated this offseason they want to make a deep playoff run in 2018, they acquired Natasha Howard on Wednesday in a trade with the Minnesota Lynx.

“We are excited to welcome Natasha to the Storm family,” head coach Dan Hughes said in a statement about the trade on the Storm’s website. “She brings a very athletic, mobile interior package; she runs the floor, actively rebounds, is a dynamic scorer and athletic defender. Natasha has continued to develop her skills on a Minnesota team that defined success in the WNBA over the past few years and is ready for the opportunity to be a successful part of our future.”

The simple act of trading for a role player who helped win the Lynx win a title in 2017 shows where Seattle’s priorities lie ahead of the upcoming season. One aspect of the deal in particular distilled how confident the coaching staff and front office is. In addition to giving Minnesota a 2018 second-round pick, the Lynx will have the opportunity to swap first-rounders with the Storm in 2019.

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Looking at the Storm’s Most Interesting Games on the 2018 WNBA Schedule

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Although the 2018 WNBA season is still months away, the league’s official schedule release Thursday means fans can start clearing their calendars for the campaign ahead.

The season will begin May 20 against the Phoenix Mercury and wrap up Aug. 19 against the Dallas Wings.

Finally getting to see the full regular-season schedule adds adds a little bit more excitement to the Seattle Storm’s offseason. It’s another sign WNBA basketball is on the horizon.

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Storm Right the Wrongs of Last Offseason with Courtney Paris Signing

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SwordsParis
Unfortunately, we blew our graphics budget on Sami Whitcomb reaction GIFs

After an uneventful opening day of WNBA free agency, the Seattle Storm made what’s likely to be their biggest offseason splash Saturday, signing Courtney Paris to what they called a “multi-year deal.”

“Courtney brings a presence inside that we have been eager to add to the roster,” Storm general manager Alisha Valavanis said in the team’s press release. “Her ability to rebound the basketball is a great strength. We are thrilled to welcome her to Seattle!”

The move felt especially satisfying after Seattle was almost completely inactive Thursday, while a number of teams throughout the WNBA teased the arrival of their newest signings. The Storm confirmed they re-signed Sami Whitcomb, but that was largely a formality since Whitcomb was a reserve player, giving Seattle exclusive negotiating rights.

Thursday kind of felt like when you hear your friends got to open a present or two the day before Christmas. Sure, you still got your Christmas presents, but it’s not fair that your friends got to spend an extra day having fun.

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The 2018 WNBA Season is a Make-or-Break Year for Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis

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Having her name misspelled on a Storm broadcast was maybe only the third-worst thing to happen to Mosqueda-Lewis during the 2017 season

It’s probably not a stretch to say Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis’ Seattle Storm career hinges on the 2018 season.

She’s coming off what was arguably her worst season in a generally underwhelming WNBA career to date. Mosqueda-Lewis averaged a career-low 11.1 minutes per game, which then led to her scoring a career-low 4.6 points per game. She also shot just 29.4 percent from three-point range.

Compounding matters, Mosqueda-Lewis had her knee scoped last June, so she missed all of June and didn’t return until Seattle’s 83-79 loss to the Connecticut Sun on July 12.

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What Will Sami Whitcomb Deliver in Year 2 for the Seattle Storm?

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Yes, I will find any reason I can to use this screenshot

Looking ahead to the 2018 WNBA season, no player is harder to project than Sami Whitcomb.

Expectations were so low for Whitcomb in her rookie season that it wasn’t even clear whether she’d make the Storm’s final roster.

“It was very much come to training camp and show us what you have and we’ll go from there,” she said last May, per the Seattle Times‘ Percy Allen. “That was as much as I could ask for, and I’m thrilled just for that chance.”

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The Biggest Offseason Questions Ahead for the Seattle Storm

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No WNBA team may face more pressure to upgrade this offseason than the Seattle Storm. There are no more excuses should the Storm fail to at least earn a home game in the opening round of the playoffs.

Heading into the 2017 campaign, both espnW.com’s Mechelle Voepel and WNBA.com’s Brian Martin ranked Seattle fifth in their preseason power rankings.

But the 2017 season was nothing short of a disaster. Firing Jenny Boucek in the middle of the year provided momentary relief, but it couldn’t prevent the seemingly inevitable first-round exit—this time at the hands of the Phoenix Mercury.

It was a fitting coda to a disappointing year. Brittney Griner had 23 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, while the Storm scored 19 points outside of their big three (Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd and Sue Bird). All season long, Seattle struggled to guard elite post scorers, and the team’s lack of depth behind Stewart, Loyd and Bird was glaring.

More of the same in 2018 would mean wasting another year of Stewart and Loyd’s development—as well as what’s left of Bird’s playing career. It shouldn’t be a stretch to say general manager/team president Alisha Valavanis should also be out of a job. At some point, the front office has to point to more than just selecting Loyd and Stewart first overall in 2015 and 2016.

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Who Should the Seattle Storm Target in WNBA Free Agency?

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Silicon Valley
When you’re trying to evaluate all of the Storm’s options this offseason

It’s pretty clear the Seattle Storm need reinforcements after a second straight first-round playoff exit. The trouble is how to go about making the necessary improvements.

The Storm lack any real trade assets. Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird are untouchable, and the same is probably true of Jewell Loyd. Trading the likes of Alysha Clark, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Ramu Tokashiki and Sami Whitcomb would be counterproductive as well, since doing so would create another void to fill in the roster.

Crystal Langhorne is headed for free agency as well, which complicates matters.

Aside from the WNBA draft, free agency is likely to be the easiest way for head coach Dan Hughes and general manager Alisha Valavanis to address the team’s weaknesses.

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Should the Seattle Storm Trade their 2018 WNBA First-Round Draft Pick?

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After a 2017 WNBA season in which the Seattle Storm spun their wheels, general manager Alisha Valavanis will almost certainly be active in the trade market.

Few trade assets in the Storm’s possession will be more valuable than their first-round pick, which is the fifth overall selection in the 2018 draft. On its own, the pick probably won’t net Seattle an All-Star-caliber player, but it could be packaged with another piece or two to command a solid return.

Worth pondering, however, is whether the Storm would—barring an offer Valavanis couldn’t refuse—be better off keeping the pick. And branching off that, how much is the No. 5 pick worth for Seattle.

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