The Liberty found a way to keep their superteam intact this offseason, but they were unable to acquire Nneka Ogwumike to strengthen it.
Ogwumike, who left the Sparks after 12 years, was pursued by the Liberty and appeared in a Nets-Suns game with Brianna Stewart and Bethany Laney Hamilsion on Jan. 31, but a week later she was traded to the Storm. chose to enter into a contract. According to the Seattle Times, she will serve aboard the Liberty, as well as the Phoenix Mercury, Atlanta Dream, and Chicago Sky, and will instead become the centerpiece of their rosters.
The Storm are off to a 1-3 start after Monday’s 74-63 loss to Liberty at Barclays Center, with Ogwumike missing the past two games with an ankle injury.
But perhaps at some point in the second half of the season, Liberty will get another glimpse of the eight-time All-Star he never earned.
Asked before the game if he was disappointed that Ogwumike didn’t select a Liberty player, Stewart replied, “Yes and no.” “Given that, obviously we would be lucky to get Nneka, I think we understood the starting five coming back and that kind of progression.
“But she’s the MVP, the best talent in this league, and she’s going to do great things in Seattle.”
Eleven days after Ogwumike’s decision to sign a one-year, $204,500 contract with the Storm, Jonquel Jones ultimately signed a two-year deal to remain with the Liberty (with a $190,000 cap hit this year, according to Spotrac). .
This allows the Liberty to return its starting lineup from 2023, with two forwards, Kayla Thornton and Nyara Sabally, coming off the bench.
Ogwumike joins Skyler Diggins-Smith and Jewell Lloyd in a star trio tasked with helping the Storm recover from an 11-29 season that saw them miss the postseason for the first time since 2015.
“I think it’s going to be really exciting with those three together,” Stewart said.
