So despite boasting the second-best record in the league at 18-6, the Sun made a rare in-season trade, sending Rachel Banham and Moriah Jefferson to the Sky to acquire Marina Mabrey. The move also included some draft capital, helping Chicago in its rebuild while further putting the Sun in a win-now position. It also likely reflects the understanding that though Connecticut had a very good roster, the front office felt the team was a move away from truly contending for the franchise’s first title.
The Next, a 24/7/365 women’s basketball newsroom
The Next: A basketball newsroom brought to you by The IX. 24/7/365 women’s basketball coverage, written, edited and photographed by our young, diverse staff and dedicated to breaking news, analysis, historical deep dives and projections about the game we love.
Full trade terms
Connecticut Sun receive:
Chicago Sky receive:
The trade could elevate the Sun to true championship contention in that it provides them with a much-needed offensive boost in the form of a high-volume scorer who can create her own shot.
Mabrey is in the midst of a tough year but is still averaging 14 points per game. When she was traded to the Sky two years ago, she seemed poised to become a star, and while that vision never materialized in Chicago, a new system could do wonders for her.
The Sun lose two role players
Connecticut gave up two rotation players: Jefferson and Banham. When Jefferson was traded to the Sun in the offseason, she seemed poised to assume backup point guard responsibilities. But she played limited minutes and has been battling injuries all year. She is now recovering from midseason ankle surgery.
Instead, Veronica Burton has assumed backup point guard duties. She is averaging 11.4 minutes per game since joining Connecticut last month, while hitting a third of her 3-point attempts. As a result of Burton’s steady play, Jefferson has become more expendable.
Banham, meanwhile, has been a veteran presence and fixture of the locker room. She’s also fresh off the best shooting game of her professional career, in which she set a WNBA record for most 3-pointers off the bench (eight) in a win over the Mercury.
After that game, teammate DiJonai Carrington sung her praises.
“Every time you see Rachel, you just have to be happy,” Carrington told media after Banham’s career game. “I don’t know, like, you can’t be mean to Rachel. You can’t be mad at Rachel. She’s just got it.”
However, Banham also plays limited minutes — only 13 a night — and is an inferior defender to Mabrey. She’s also had a down year this season, shooting 37.4% from the field.
Still, Banham and Jefferson were important voices on a seemingly very close-knit Sun team. Banham, also an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota, was widely described as a coach in the locker room.
In announcing the trade, Sun general manager Darius Taylor expressed his gratitude for the pair’s contributions.
“Today is very bittersweet. We traded two really great people who are not only good basketball players but have helped add to the winning culture we have here in Connecticut,” Taylor said. “We want to thank both Rachel and Moriah for their professionalism and contributions on and off the court. They will truly be missed by our fans, our team and our organization. We wish them well and much success with their new organization.”
Get 24/7 soccer coverage with The Equalizer
The Next is partnering with The Equalizer to bring more women’s sports stories to your inbox. Subscribers to The Next receive 50% off their subscription to The Equalizer for 24/7 coverage of women’s soccer.
How Mabrey can elevate Connecticut
Mabrey’s addition will either move Tyasha Harris or Carrington to the bench — or, more likely, she’ll come off the bench herself as the primary scoring option of that unit. The Sun have been elite defensively all season but have struggled to generate offense at times, particularly from 3-point range. To contend for a championship, they’ll likely have to improve in that regard.
The Sun currently rank 10th in the league in 3-pointers made (5.5 per game) and 10th in 3-point percentage (31.4%). Mabrey will help with both.
She is shooting 38.2% from the field this season — and 34.4% from 3 — numbers well below her career averages. Her 34.4% 3-point percentage reflects a significant dip from 39% last year. She hits 2.3 3-pointers per game. Right now, no one on the Sun roster hits more than two, with DeWanna Bonner leading the team with 1.7 threes per night.
“You can’t give her any space,” Dallas Wings head coach Latricia Trammell said last month. “She has such a quick release. So the point of attack has to be really strong.”
Mabrey can generate her own offense, which is key. Most of the Sun’s 3-point shooters generally rely on others to set them up. Per WNBA stats, 32.1% of her 3-point attempts are unassisted. In comparison, 7.7% of Bonner’s 3-pointers are. So, while both can help space the floor, Mabrey is creating a whole lot more and also has deeper range.
The good news for Connecticut is that they don’t have to pick between the two. By playing Mabrey and Bonner together, they now have two elite scorers who can share the floor and produce at a high level.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Marina Mabrey to the Connecticut Sun. She is a player that we feel will give us the extra edge to compete for a championship this year,” Taylor said.
Mabrey is more than just a shooter; this season, she’s one of just four WNBA players averaging at least 14 points, four assists, four rebounds and one steal. The other three — Jewell Loyd, Caitlin Clark, and Arike Ogunbowale — are all All-Stars.
Add Locked On Women’s Basketball to your daily routine
Here at The Next, in addition to the 24/7/365 written content our staff provides, we also host the daily Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast. Join us Monday through Saturday each week as we discuss all things WNBA, collegiate basketball, basketball history and much more. Listen wherever you find podcasts or watch on YouTube.
The last time a WNBA midseason trade was this potentially impactful was when Sylvia Fowles was traded to the Lynx in 2015. Fowles, a higher-caliber player than Mabrey, helped the Lynx to a championship that season.
“[Mabrey] brings a competitive spirit and scorer’s mentality along with an ability to make big plays,” Taylor said. “I believe [Sun head coach Stephanie White] and her staff will be able to utilize Marina in many ways as we start the second half of our season and continue our quest for our first title.”
