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Washington Mystics waive Jaylyn Agnew and Sug Sutton

By Jenn Hatfield

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 01: Head Coach Mike Thibault of the Washington Mystics watches the game against the Connecticut Sun during Game Two of the 2019 WNBA Finals at St Elizabeths East Entertainment & Sports Arena on October 1, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 01: Head Coach Mike Thibault of the Washington Mystics watches the game against the Connecticut Sun during Game Two of the 2019 WNBA Finals at St Elizabeths East Entertainment & Sports Arena on October 1, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /
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Lee-Seul Kang also not listed on the defending champions’ roster

On Monday, the Washington Mystics announced that they had waived Jaylyn Agnew and Sug Sutton, their two picks in the 2020 WNBA Draft. South Korean guard Lee-Seul Kang, who was signed to a training camp contract in February, is also no longer listed on the Mystics roster. Although the start of the season is delayed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, the WNBA is requiring teams to trim down their rosters by May 26 so that players can begin to be paid.

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Agnew is a 5’11 forward whom the Mystics drafted out of Creighton with the 24th pick, making her the first Bluejays player ever to be drafted. Last season, she averaged 20.8 points per game, which ranked seventh in the country, and shot 37% from 3-point range. Agnew was named Big East Player of the Year and an honorable mention AP All-American, and the Mystics were excited to draft her because of her shooting prowess, versatility, and ability to play both ends of the court.

Twelve picks later at No. 36, the Mystics selected Sutton, a 5’8 point guard from the University of Texas. Last season, Sutton averaged 10.4 points, 4.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per game; the latter two statistics each ranked in the top 7% of players nationally. Sutton was set to join her former Longhorns teammate Ariel Atkins in the Mystics’ training camp and potentially provide depth at a position where Washington could have used it at times last season.

Kang is a 5’11 shooting guard who has played for KEB Hanabank in South Korea’s WKBL since 2015. She was also part of the South Korean team that qualified for the 2020 Olympics and averaged 10.3 points per game in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Mystics head coach and general manager Mike Thibault previously indicated that Kang’s international experience appealed to the Mystics, which is no surprise considering the success they have had with players such as Emma Meesseman and Kim Mestdagh, both members of the Belgian national team.

These moves bring the Mystics’ roster down to eleven players, the most that they can have under the WNBA salary cap after re-signing Meesseman and Elena Delle Donne and adding Tina Charles in the offseason. Nine players return from last year’s championship team, with Charles and free agent signing Leilani Mitchell rounding out the roster.

As first reported by the Associated Press’s Doug Feinberg, after rosters are cut to a maximum of 12 players, those players will receive their first paychecks of the season on June 1. Players who are cut just before the May 26 deadline will continue to receive health benefits through June 30.

Shortly after being drafted, Agnew excitedly texted one of her assistant coaches at Creighton. “I’m going to be in training camp with Elena Delle Donne and Tina Charles!” she wrote. In any other year, that would be true, and Agnew would get to battle with players such as Kiara Leslie and Myisha Hines-Allen for one of the final roster spots. Unfortunately for Agnew, Sutton, and Kang, the coronavirus pandemic has eliminated that opportunity for the time being.

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