Latest news with #AlyshaClark
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Storm acquire Brittney Sykes in trade with Mystics
The post Storm acquire Brittney Sykes in trade with Mystics appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Seattle Storm are making a trade with the Washington Mystics, for Brittney Sykes. The Mystics are getting Alysha Clark, Zia Cooke, and Seattle's 2026 first-round draft pick in return. The deal was announced Tuesday, per the Storm's social media. Sykes is averaging better than 15 points per game this season, while playing in Washington. She is an All-Star and one of the best defensive players in the WNBA. This season, she is also shooting close to 32 percent from three-point range. In 2021 and 2022, Sykes was the WNBA leader in steals. She is expected to immediately help Seattle on the defensive side of the ball. Sykes has also been getting to the free throw line a lot this season for the Mystics. She is second in the league in free throw attempts, per CBS Sports. Cooke has been waived after going to the Mystics, per ESPN. She was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2023 draft, after being selected by the Los Angeles Sparks. She is averaging 3.3 points per game this year. The Storm are 16-13 on the season. Seattle's next game is on Tuesday against the Minnesota Lynx. Washington is 13-15 on the campaign. Washington has lost five of their last seven contests. Inside the Storm-Mystics deal Clark was one of the most experienced players on the Storm team. She has appeared in 300 games for the team, and appeared with the club during two different stints. She was a part of two WNBA championship teams in the Pacific Northwest. Clark has been averaging 3.5 points per game this season. She will certainly bring a lot of experience to the Mystics, who are struggling through this season. Following this deal, the Mystics are positioning themselves to have three first-round picks in the 2026 WNBA Draft. Washington next plays the Chicago Sky on Tuesday night. The WNBA trade deadline is Thursday. Related: WNBA rumors: Storm urged to make blockbuster Marina Mabrey trade with Sun Related: Storm coach calls out refs for Skylar Diggins 'bulls**t'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
WNBA rumors: The Mystics trade Aces ‘had a chance' to make
The post WNBA rumors: The Mystics trade Aces 'had a chance' to make appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Las Vegas Aces reportedly had an opportunity to acquire guard Brittney Sykes before she was traded to the Seattle Storm earlier this week. According to Callie Fin of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Washington Mystics offered Sykes to the Aces prior to finalizing a deal with the Storm. An agent involved in the transaction told Fin the Aces 'had a chance' to land the 31-year-old guard, but ultimately were unable to complete a trade. The Mystics sent Sykes to Seattle in exchange for forward Alysha Clark, guard Zia Cooke, and a 2026 first-round pick. Clark, notably, is a former Aces player who played a key role during their recent championship runs. Las Vegas was likely hindered by its limited draft capital. The Aces have already traded away their first-round picks in both 2026 and 2027, reducing their flexibility ahead of Thursday's 3:00 p.m. ET WNBA Trade Deadline. 'The reality is the team may need to stand pat and bet on its existing roster,' Fin wrote. 'It doesn't seem like the Aces can afford to double down.' Sykes has been a consistent contributor for Washington this season, averaging 15.4 points, 4.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 37.9% from the field and 31.8% from beyond the arc. She has appeared in 25 games, logging 31 minutes per contest. Aces weigh trade deadline moves as Brittney Sykes joins Storm ahead of key matchup Las Vegas, currently 16-14, sits in the middle of the playoff picture and is riding a two-game win streak. The Aces defeated the Golden State Valkyries 78-72 on Wednesday night and are set to face the Storm (also 16-14) on Friday at 10:00 p.m. ET on ION. The impending matchup against Seattle will now feature Sykes in a Storm uniform, adding an extra layer of intrigue to an already important game for playoff seeding. With only hours remaining before the trade deadline, the Aces must decide whether to pursue last-minute reinforcements or continue their postseason push with the current roster. Las Vegas has faced challenges throughout the 2025 season, including injuries and stretches of inconsistent play. Despite those issues, the Aces remain in the playoff hunt and are looking to gain momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season. The failed attempt to land Sykes underscores the difficulty Las Vegas faces when operating without high-value draft assets. While the franchise has made aggressive win-now moves in recent years, it may now be constrained by the cost of those earlier decisions. The Storm, meanwhile, appear poised to make a late push in the Western Conference with the addition of Sykes, who brings veteran leadership and two-way production to Seattle's backcourt. As the 3:00 p.m. ET deadline approaches, Las Vegas remains one of several teams to monitor. Related: Aces' A'ja Wilson torches Valkyries to become fastest ever to reach WNBA mark Related: Aces' A'ja Wilson reaches historic milestone in first half vs. Valkyries
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Storm rumors: Ex-Angel Reese teammate floated as major Seattle trade target
The post Storm rumors: Ex-Angel Reese teammate floated as major Seattle trade target appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Seattle Storm have put themselves in a good position for a spot in the 2025 WNBA playoffs, but there is still plenty of work left to be done for the franchise. The upcoming trade deadline could be an avenue for Seattle to shore up its roster and bolster the team's chances to win a homecourt advantage in the postseason. One potential trade target for the Storm floated by ESPN's Kevin Pelton is veteran Connecticut Sun guard Marina Mabrey. Pelton's hypothetical trade has the Storm acquiring Mabrey in exchange for forwards Alysha Clark and Katie Lou Samuelson, along with a first-round pick in the 2026 WNBA draft. The Storm appears to have the assets to pull off such a trade, as they have three first-round picks in next year's draft. On top of those, Seattle has picks via the Las Vegas Aces and the Los Angeles Sparks. Wrote Pelton: 'That could put Seattle in position to upgrade now while keeping an eye on the future. All-Star Brittney Sykes would probably top the Storm's wish list, but with the Washington Mystics in playoff position, she might not be available. There's no such concern with Mabrey, who unsuccessfully requested a trade from Connecticut last offseason. With the Sun at 3-20 and Mabrey headed toward unrestricted free agency, a deadline deal makes sense.' Mabrey, who requested a trade in the offseason, is in her second season with the Sun. The Chicago Sky traded her to Connecticut in the middle of the 2024 campaign, along with a 2025 pick and a 2026 pick swap for a 2025 first-rounder and Rachel Banham and Moriah Jefferson. Mabrey entered the league in 2019 as a second-round pick by Los Angeles. The former Notre Dame Fighting Irish star could give the Storm's offense a big shot in the arm while providing great depth behind the incredible Skylar Diggins. After putting up just 4.0 points per game in her rookie season in 2019 with the Sparks, Mabrey has averaged at least 10.0 points each year. So far in the 2025 campaign, Mabrey, who has cracked the top 10 of voting for the Sixth Woman of the Year Award four times, is recording 14.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per contest while shooting 36.2 percent from the floor. Related: Skylar Diggins puts up elite career-1st stat in blowout vs. Sun Related: Storm's Nneka Ogwumike nabs more career milestones vs. Sun
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mystics trade Brittney Sykes to Storm for Alysha Clark, Zia Cooke and 2026 first-round pick
The Washington Mystics are trading guard Brittney Sykes to the Seattle Storm in exchange for Alysha Clark, guard Zia Cooke and a 2026 first-round pick, the Storm announced Tuesday afternoon. The Mystics subsequently waived Cooke following the trade, ESPN's Alexa Philippou reported. Philippou also noted that the Storm owned rights to three first-round picks, including their own, one from the Los Angeles Sparks and another from the Las Vegas Aces. Seattle shipped off the pick that they originally owned in Tuesday's trade. The trade comes as the Mystics are 13-15 this season, sitting ninth in the WNBA standings. Seattle is sixth in the league with a 16-13 record. The Mystics and Storm are fourth and third in their respective conferences. Washington is shipping Sykes off to the Pacific Northwest despite having decent numbers this season. The 31-year-old is averaging 15.4 points, 4.4 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game this season. She leads the team in points, assists and steals. Sykes earned her first All-Star nod this year and arrives in Seattle with four WNBA All-Defensive Team selections, divided evenly between the first and second teams. She also led the league in steals twice and made the WNBA All-Rookie team upon her arrival. The Atlanta Dream drafted the Syracuse product with the seventh overall pick in 2017. Sykes remained in A-Town for three years, went to LA for another three before landing in DC in 2023. Clark is leaving Seattle for the second time while averaging 3.5 points and 2.4 rebounds. She was drafted by the Storm in 2012 and spent her first nine seasons in Seattle. Clark played a pivotal role in Seattle's title wins in 2018 and 2020 before joining the Mystics in 2022. The following year, she joined the Aces and won her third ring under Becky Hammon's coaching. Cooke, who won a national title with the South Carolina Gamecocks, was drafted by the Sparks with the 10th pick in 2023 and spent two seasons in the City of Stars with 68 games, averaging 11.9 minutes, 4.3 points and shot 30% from the field. Since joining the Storm, she's appeared in 24 games and averaged 3.3 points. Although Seattle has a better record so far this season, they are 0-2 against the Mystics. Sykes dropped 19 points in a 74-69 win on July 13 and 11 points in a 69-58 victory on July 25.
Reuters
5 days ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Mystics deal All-Star Brittney Sykes to Storm for Alysha Clark, pick
August 5 - The Washington Mystics traded All-Star guard Brittney Sykes, their leading scorer, to the Seattle Storm on Tuesday in exchange for forward Alysha Clark, guard Zia Cooke and the Storm's 2026 first-round draft pick. Sykes averaged 15.4 points and a career-high 4.4 assists in 25 games (all starts) for Washington in her third season with the franchise. The Mystics (13-15) are in ninth place in the WNBA, one game out of the eighth and final playoff spot, but their general manager said the move allowed the 31-year-old Sykes to pursue a championship in the near term. "We're grateful for Slim's (Sykes') contributions this season as she played a key role in our growth," Mystics GM Jamila Wideman said in a statement. "We're proud of the individual success she achieved during her time with us, including earning her first All-Star selection. This allows Slim the opportunity to join a team that is expected to contend for a championship this season." In nine WNBA seasons with the Atlanta Dream (2017-19), Los Angeles Sparks (2020-22) and Mystics (2023-25), the 31-year-old Sykes has played in 265 games (198 starts) and averaged 12.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals per contest. The Mystics will focus on their young core of Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin while adding Clark, who's in her 13th season in the league. The 2023 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year returned to Seattle in the offseason to begin her second stint with a franchise where she won league championships in 2018 and 2020. She was averaging just 3.5 points and 2.4 rebounds through 27 games (seven starts). Clark, 38, played for the Mystics in 2022 and started 29 games. In 408 career games (255 starts) with Seattle (2012-20, 2025), Washington (2022) and the Las Vegas Aces (2023-24), she has posted 6.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 37.8 percent from 3-point range. Cooke, 24, averaged 3.3 points per game off the bench for the Storm. Shortly after acquiring Cooke, The Mystics waived the third-year pro. --Field Level Media
