Several WNBA teams put out their official training camp rosters on Friday. Some will be impacted by late arrivals due to overseas commitments, but the Indiana Fever will trudge forward without a pair of notable figures.
On Friday, the Fever announced that Maggie Lucas would miss the entire season with a right knee injury. She was rehabilitating from an ACL tear that occurred in a meeting with the Minnesota Lynx last year, ending her 2016 season in just four games. Prior to training camp, Lucas injured that knee again, dealing another blow to a guard who was a reliable source of scoring off the bench. Before last year’s injury, Lucas was on pace to put up solid numbers, averaging 7.8 points per game with a field goal percentage of 52.4 in 2016.
Also absent from Indiana’s roster is Devereaux Peters. The 27-year-old forward explained through Twitter that she tore her labrum in both hips, requiring surgery during the winter. Peters and the team negotiated a contract separation agreement, making her an unrestricted free agent after she clears waivers. She mentioned that her rehab is going well, but she is occupied by priorities other than basketball.
My tweet yesterday was not about me but my mother who is in the hospital. There are things bigger than ball & right now she is my sole focus
— Devereaux *casual fan* Peters (@MsPeters14) April 21, 2017
Peters averaged 5.2 points and 3.0 rebounds per game last season with Indiana, and did not play in their first round loss to Phoenix in the playoffs.
Elsewhere, the Minnesota Lynx finalized their roster by signing Moriah Mack of New Mexico State and Breanna Richardson of Mississippi State. Mack scored double-digits in the final 19 games of her senior season, and helped New Mexico State reach three straight NCAA tournaments. Richardson was part of a balanced offense at Mississippi State, the runner-up of this year’s NCAA tournament. She broke the 50 percent mark in field goal shooting as a senior, an improvement of nearly 11 percent from the previous year.
The Lynx only have two late arrivals as Rebekkah Brunson and Natasha Howard finish up overseas commitments.
Finally, the San Antonio Stars extended a training camp offer to Shae Kelley. Kelley was originally drafted by Minnesota in the third-round, and was called up to their roster midway through the season. She was present when the Lynx won the WNBA championship that year, but her role was sporadic. Kelley has been active overseas, averaging a double-double this winter with her Bornova Becker team in Turkey.