u/GlacialTwitch

Four factors explanation: Four Factors | Basketball-Reference.com

Sky rankings:
Offensive: eFG% 10th, turnover pct 1st, offensive rebounding pct 3rd, free throws per field goal attempt: 4th
Defensive: eFG% 1st, turnover pct 15th, defensive rebounding pct 4th, free throws per field goal attempt: 5th

Defensively there will be some coming back to earth, as opponents have shot 29% compared to the 32% league average so far. Generally there is not too much teams can do to affect opponent three point percentage more than a percent or two. But the regression may not be too heavy as they are not far off average. They have also only allowed a 51.2 field goal percentage within 5 feet of the rim, which is likely to go up. The emphasis on deflections has not resulted in turning the other team over much, but is still disruptive. The rebounding has been solid on both sides of the court. Good job not fouling much.

Offensively, the team is shooting around league average from 3. Great job not turning the ball over and shoutout to Rickea for roughly doubling her assist percentage while keeping her turnover percentage the same. And good job making it to the line.

Ally Wilson was in the Sky's training camp last year (her first W training camp). She was also the first indigenous Australian basketball player to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games. She made the Mystics this year out of camp as one of the 12 on their roster and is an international vet/WNBA rookie.

Teams playing with a fast pace give the opposing team many possessions even if they are making their shots. Teams playing with a slow pace don't give their opponents as many possessions, but lower their own scoring potential. Neither is inherently better or worse. But it does, in my opinion, favor looking at per-possession rather than per-game stats.

For instance, Golden State is playing with the slowest pace just as they did last year. Per-game stats oversell their defense (2nd in the league in lowest points allowed per game, 6th in the league in lowest points allowed per possession), but undersell their offense (5th in the league in points per game, but 1st in the league in points per possession).

You can view both per game stats (own team and opponent) and per-100 possession stats here: 2026 WNBA Season Summary | Basketball-Reference.com

Assuming that Dallas replaces Seattle in the playoffs (which seems like conventional wisdom at this point), then the Sky will need to be better than a second 2025 playoff team to make the playoffs. GSV, as the 8 seed, seems like the logical choice. Yes, the Sky will be without key players, but the Valks are also without Jocyte. It's important not just as a test, but also to get a game up for standings purposes. The games count just the same now as they do in September.

https://preview.redd.it/a888tcv76zzg1.png?width=419&format=png&auto=webp&s=f772f05c6b63f0694404697d555f82b179496874

I thought the Sky starters looked very disorganized and disconnected in the preseason games. I thought Portland looked a bit more cohesive. Obviously there's no excuse (new players) for gelling less than an expansion team. Sky have the more talented roster, but I wouldn't be surprised if Portland won.

https://preview.redd.it/8hvarpqzdszg1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e9d89724179db1f77522a30e88ba3919857ca1bd

Via @ ChiStateofMind_ on twitter

>Man, she's just a 'dog.' Like, you just see her in practice and games and it looks like she's been here; she has no fear in her heart. I mean, the first day of training camp she did a layup and I'm like, 'She can dunk.' I'm telling y'all, that girl can dunk. The way she gets up on layups is insane, and it's deceptive. She looks like she’s got some game, but she doesn't look like she could jump that high. That girl could jump out of the gym!

I'm so happy to have her here. That's just a talented player right there. I've just been excited to get to know her. She's funny; she's herself. But I mean, on that court, she doesn't care who you are—she's going at you. So, I love Sydney."

https://nitter.poast.org/ChiStateOfMind_/status/2052137529709584495#m

If there's no transaction indicating that a team was awarded a waiver claim, then they should be free to sign wherever they want late this afternoon. I think the Sky are hoping to sign them to dev contracts.

HVL--similar deal. We will find out whether she was claimed and it sounded like she was most likely either going to be claimed or sign with a different team.

The two dev slots are not required to be filled. With that in mind, I am wondering if teams will wait until May 7 to waive said players, so that no one could be awarded a waiver claim until the 9th. Meaning a second team would have to waive one of their original 12 in order to pick up this dev-player-to-be. How do you think teams will play it?

The Sky could certainly blow this (as in they could waive a player they intend to sign to a dev contract only for them to be claimed by another team), but I think no matter how it works out, the next few cuts will cause rending of garments and gnashing of teeth. IF they sign someone in camp to a dev contract, they will have to waive them first. That transaction will be on the transactions page as the player being waived. This is a risky move and one that will have some uncertainty for the 48 hour waiver process, but it is something that almost every team that hasn't already signed players to dev contracts will go through.