Now that the WNBA Draft order has been determined, Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca really can get down to business.
After the Sky landed the No. 3 pick in the draft next spring, the obvious question is which young star Pagliocca might target. At the top of that list is Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles. But a more intriguing — and not entirely unrealistic — option is how Pagliocca could package the pick in a trade.
‘‘The top priority is going to be shooting,’’ Pagliocca said after the lottery.
In just a few words, Pagliocca said a mouthful.
The top prospects in the 2025 draft beyond UConn guard Paige Bueckers, who is expected to be selected by the Wings at No. 1 after they won the lottery, are USC forward Kiki Iriafen, Miles and UConn shooting guard Azzi Fudd.
As talented as Iriafen is, the Sky don’t need another big, with Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso and Elizabeth Williams already in their frontcourt. Miles isn’t going to answer the Sky’s shooting concerns, and Fudd is returning from an injury this season, so there will be questions about her bounce-back.
‘‘It takes a little bit to adjust to our league,’’ Pagliocca said. ‘‘But in all reality, we’re going to be looking for wings when we can get them.’’
What Pagliocca was implying is that the player he’s looking for might not be found in the draft. This brings up a two-part question: Which team might be interested in the Sky’s No. 3 pick? And does that team have a shooter it is willing to part with?
One intriguing option is Sparks shooting guard Rae Burrell, whose averages don’t paint a full picture of the kind of shooter she might develop into.
After being sidelined for most of her rookie season with a knee injury in 2022, Burrell averaged 3.6 points and 11 minutes in 2023. This past season, she averaged six points and 15.6 minutes.
Her game logs from the second half of the season, however, offer a glimpse at her potential. Burrell’s averages improved only slightly, but she had five games with 14 points or more, including an 18-point effort against the Storm. Given new coach Tyler Marsh’s player-development skills, Burrell might be an intriguing option for the Sky to pursue.
The Sparks landed the No. 2 pick in the lottery, despite having the best odds. The possibility of adding the No. 3 pick and a chance to draft Miles might intrigue them enough to part with Burrell.
A more lofty trade to pursue would be for Storm guard Jewell Loyd. The Niles West graduate previously has spoken about the Sky as always being one step behind. Trading Loyd also might be a nonstarter for the Storm, who signed her to an extension last year.
Ultimately, Pagliocca could find the shooters he needs in free agency and keep the No. 3 pick, in which case Miles is an early favorite. The Sky also have the No. 10 pick, which Pagliocca acquired in a trade with the Sun for guard Marina Mabrey.
While most mock drafts have raised concerns about Miles’ three-point shooting, she is an excellent facilitator. There are few point guards in the WNBA whose mission is to create for their teammates. Liberty guard Courtney Vandersloot and Aces guard Chelsea Gray are in a league of their own in that regard. Miles has shown flashes of that same passing style.
Those types of guards don’t come around often. Bringing Miles in and developing her to be their future floor general is a strong option if Pagliocca can’t get the value he wants for the No. 3 pick.
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