Although no WNBA games were played on Thursday, there was some buzz when a trade was announced. The Atlanta Dream acquired Jordan Hooper from the Connecticut Sun in exchange for a second round pick in next year’s draft.
“The trade for Hooper will provide us another three-point shooter that we can really use,” Atlanta head coach Michael Cooper said in a statement released by the team. “She is a seasoned player, who has been in this league a couple of years.”
Hooper is in her fourth season, to be precise. She started her career with the Tulsa/Dallas organization, but was waived in this year’s training camp. Connecticut later claimed her off waivers, but Hooper couldn’t establish a presence and spent most of her time on the bench.
Hooper’s rookie year was her most productive, when she averaged 5.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. Her numbers have dropped since then, but that hasn’t diminished her reputation in the perimeter. Nearly 75 percent of her field goal attempts are behind the three-point line.
Although her career three-point mark of 33.5 percent isn’t cause for intimidation, Hooper’s reliance on the three ball has resulted in an effective field goal percentage that hovers near 50. For Atlanta, that is more than enough to add her to their roster. Coincidentally, their next game is Saturday when they visit Connecticut, so Hooper will simply switch benches in her first game with her new team.
Atlanta’s 76-61 loss to the New York Liberty on Wednesday illuminated a dire need for shooters. The Dream are the only WNBA team to shoot under 40 percent from the floor, and their three-point clip is a meager 20.7 percent. Atlanta’s solid defense has compensated for their lack of offense, and is a major factor behind their 4-3 record, but winning games is hard if your players can’t find the basket. With just seven starts in 103 career games, Hooper’s influence may be minimal, but she could complement Tiffany Hayes behind the arc; Hayes is shooting 37.5 percent from three-point range.
For Connecticut, the trade offers an addition through subtraction. Sending Hooper to Atlanta opened up a roster spot, which will presumably be filled by Alex Bentley when she returns from the FIBA Eurobasket tournament.
Why is this important? Prior to the trade, the Sun signed Feyonda Fitzgerald to spell for Bentley. Fitzgerald hails from Temple, where she posted the fourth highest assist percentage in the country as a senior. She was drafted by Indiana this year, but was released by the team. Now, Fitzgerald has an opportunity to develop her skills at point guard, and perhaps stick around when Bentley rejoins the Sun. Connecticut also has a plethora of three-point shooters with Shekinna Stricklen, Jasmine Thomas and Morgan Tuck, making Hooper redundant.
Connecticut head coach Curt Miller has emphasized a long-term approach in assembling the roster, and Fitzgerald may embody that philosophy, even if she doesn’t play much. The Sun have work to do if they wish to overcome a 2-5 start, but their move to free up space could end up a shrewd one.