KATIE DOUGLAS
After performing so well for the Connecticut Sun for so many seasons, you'd think the franchise would never trade her. Well, that's what happened to one of WNBA's best perimeter scorers, Katie Douglas. I personally could not imagine the Sun making it to the WNBA Finals without her. What boggles my mind is that her numbers were on their way up right before she got traded to the Indiana Fever for Tamika Whitmore in 2008. The very next year the Sun came awfully close to eating crow when Indiana made it to the WNBA Finals in '09 before falling to the Phoenix Mercury in a tightly fought five game series. Douglas dropped nearly 16 points a game when it was all said and done. Connecticut, meanwhile, went a mediocre 16-18 and haven't been to the Finals since Katie's departure.
TEMEKA JOHNSON
I like Temeka because she's the underdog who's always proven the doubters wrong. As a scrappy point guard for LSU, she was never thought to be anything more than an above average playmaker. Few gave her a shot to succeed because of her size (5'3"). What did she do after getting drafted by the Washington Mystics in 2005? Simply lead the league in assists and grab the Rookie of the Year Award, that's all. Surprisingly this wasn't enough for the Mystics and she was sent packing to Los Angeles. After three up and down seasons with the Sparks she was traded again -- this time to the Phoenix Mercury where regained recognition en route to a championship in '09.
BECKY HAMMON
The one two backcourt combo of Teresa "T-Spoon" Weatherspoon and Becky Hammon seemed destined to bring a crown to the Big Apple. But we didn't know it at first. Becky, an undrafted Colorado State grad, seemed to drift into New York out of thin air. There was no line on her. She had to prove herself. And prove herself she did, hitting her stride in '03 and becoming a highlight reel staple week after week, summer after summer. Unfortunately, the Liberty didn't see her in their future and traded her after eight impressive seasons. In San Antonio she put up even better numbers, navigating her new team to a Western Conference title in '08. And while they would lose to the superior Detroit Shock in the Finals, the Stars became a respectable franchise and top contender for years to come partly due to Hammon. Back at the ranch, the second overall first round pick she was traded for, center Jessica Davenport, has yet to get a ring either.
LINDSAY WHALEN
What were the Connecticut Sun thinking when they traded All Star point guard Lindsay Whalen in 2010 to the Minnesota Lynx? All she did was commandeer the franchise to two straight Eastern Conferences titles. And though the Sun were no longer top contenders by the late 2000's, Whalen was still one of the top five floor generals in the league. Now don't get me wrong. I've been impressed with Renee Montgomery (the woman Lindsay was traded for) but Renee is not quite on Lindsay's level. Not yet. Lindsay had one of her best seasons in 2011, setting career highs for field goal and three point percentage as well as leading the WNBA in assists. Most importantly she played a vital role in the Lynx winning their first championship. While the Sun did return to the playoffs in 2011 after two disappointing years, the end result was that they once again fell short to a better team.
SWIN CASH
Everywhere Swin goes she wins. So when the UConn alum got traded by Detroit to Seattle in 2008 I was left wondering why. And I know I wasn't the only one. According to reports, she and Shock coach Bill Laimbeer just couldn't see eye to eye. This is a surprise to me, considering they had already won two championships together ... but then again maybe not so much, since the Shock won their third title the year Swin went to the Storm. The first round pick she was traded for turned out to be Alexis Hornbuckle, who would contribute to that third Detroit title (as well as win another with the Minnesota Lynx three years later). In any event, Swin brought her rough and tumble, rebounding ways with her to Seattle and, in joining forces with former UConn teammate Sue Bird and perennial All-Star Lauren Jackson, won it all in 2010. Her stats slipped in 2011 and she was traded again -- this time to the Chicago Sky. And yes, I have Chi-Town winning the East this year. I believe in Swin's charm that much.
KATIE SMITH
The fact that Katie is a living legend in hoops circles clearly makes this one of the league's biggest trades. In 2005, the Minnesota Lynx astonished many by shipping Katie to the Detroit Shock. This was a woman who dropped 20 and 23 points a game in 2000 and 2001 and was always feared for her perimeter shooting. Although she never dominated in Detroit quite the way she did in the Twin Cities, Smith was able to create beautiful chemistry with backcourt partner Tweety Nolan and help snatch not one but two WNBA championships. When the Lynx finally won in 2011 after years of bad breaks and untimely injuries, people remarked that the "Katie Jinx" had finally been removed. I don't remember who Katie was dealt for. My guess is neither do you.
SPECIAL NOTES
Incidentally, for those wondering, Penny Taylor was never traded but rather chosen by the Phoenix Mercury in a dispersal draft after the Cleveland Rockers, Taylor's former team, folded in '04. And man, did the Merc luck up on that one.
I would have included Taylor's former teammate, Cappie Pondexter in this list. Her being dealt by the Phoenix Mercury to the The New York Liberty in 2010 was certainly one of the more controversial trades ever. But while Cappie has continued lighting up the opposition, the Liberty haven't exactly struck post season gold since her arrival. They're still footstools for other better teams to step on en route to a championship. It's not Cappie's fault at all. As I mentioned in a recent post, I feel the team, as a whole, is a little too long in the tooth to remain competitive down the stretch.
If there was any other trade that you felt was noteworthy, chime in.
Until then ... this is WNBA Jones.
If there was any other trade that you felt was noteworthy, chime in.
Until then ... this is WNBA Jones.
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