After leaving followers attempting to decipher her cryptic tweets in Taylor Swift type about the place she would find yourself subsequent season, Breanna Stewart has gone again to her residence state of New York.

Stewart signed with the Liberty on Feb. 1, after spending the final six seasons with the Seattle Storm. Stewie brings an in depth resume to New York, together with two WNBA championships, two championship MVP awards, and the 2022 scoring title. She is among the best athletes the WNBA has ever seen, and he or she’s solely 28, and simply arguably made the most important free company transfer in WNBA historical past.

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Main as much as the beginning of free company, the Liberty traded for ahead Jonquel Jones from the Connecticut Solar. Jones, who’s a celebrity in her personal proper, was a transfer nobody noticed coming, and bolstered a roster that’s anchored by Sabrina Ionescu’s IQ and ability. They then added Stewart, and signed guard Courtney Vandersloot from the Chicago Sky, who is among the finest passers within the league.

New York gained items to make a deep playoff push, one thing they haven’t executed since 2002, and have subsequently created an excellent workforce that persons are desirous to see take the court docket with the most effective beginning fives in latest historical past. BetMGM provides the Liberty +150 odds to win the WNBA title subsequent season. 

“I believe this group has a ton of potential,” stated Stewart to ESPN after her signing. “I believe there’s numerous wonderful gamers. The selflessness is what’s going to assist us set ourselves aside from everybody else.”

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What’s next for the Storm?

The Storm, however, lost one of the best players to ever play for their franchise.

There is a lot that goes into getting players to sign and re-sign, and it isn’t like the Storm didn’t have the money to keep her. External factors played into Stewie’s decision. Stewart’s recently retired teammate Sue Bird speculated that Stewie would sign with New York on The Ringer’s NBA Present. Fowl stated, “She’s from Syracuse, which clearly shouldn’t be New York Metropolis, however it makes a distinction. It’s nearer. Her spouse is from Spain. It’s nearer. She has a household now. Your priorities and what you want from a workforce begin to shift and alter as a result of cash shouldn’t be the one factor at play.”

On the finish of the day, typically it simply doesn’t work out. That’s what occurred to Seattle within the Stewie sweepstakes. It simply didn’t work out.

The most effective issues about Stewart and her play type is that she will play wherever she is required. Her versatility is an asset that New York will capitalize on. She will be able to shoot, she will make game-changing performs and she will play unbelievable protection.

That is the primary time in six years that Seattle won’t have Fowl or Stewie. It’s not one thing they haven’t seen, as each gamers missed the 2019 season because of damage. The saving grace for Seattle is that they nonetheless have All-Star Jewell Loyd. Due to that, the Storm aren’t in rebuild standing perse, however in an period of numerous uncertainty. They’ve gaps of their beginning 5 which may by no means be stuffed by an offseason signing. Loyd will likely be referred to as on to anchor this workforce and step up into a bigger function, one thing she has by no means needed to do enjoying with each Stewie and Fowl.

Moreover, if Mercedes Russell is wholesome, she will likely be referred to as on to play a bigger function because of her expertise. She hasn’t seen numerous time in Seattle, however with nobody to overshadow her, she may doubtlessly put up numbers like she did at Tennessee.

It’s evident that the Storm gained’t be the identical workforce they’ve been for over half a decade, which is loopy to consider as they’ve been a juggernaut for thus lengthy. They gained’t end on the high of the league like they normally do, however they gained’t end on the backside of the league both. They’re in basketball limbo, and so they most likely gained’t depart it till individuals see them play. A playoff push shouldn’t be out of the query, but when they don’t signal somebody quickly, the percentages are slipping.

For New York although, their breakout season has been lengthy anticipated. Individuals thought Ionescu could be that deciding issue, however she couldn’t do it alone. The entrance workplace has constructed a workforce round their franchise participant who won’t solely assist her, however convey the extent of play and poise to the next normal. For the Liberty, something in need of a visit to the finals will likely be a disappointment.