Your Day in Women’s Basketball, January 27: Candace or Cheyenne, the future of the Chicago Sky is on the table

LAS VEGAS, NV - SEPTEMBER 15: Cheyenne Parker #32 of the Chicago Sky reacts to play against the Las Vegas Aces on September 15, 2019 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - SEPTEMBER 15: Cheyenne Parker #32 of the Chicago Sky reacts to play against the Las Vegas Aces on September 15, 2019 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NBAE via Getty Images)

Free agent reporting is skyrocketing as February 1 approaches

Until the end of January, there is no official word on any unrestricted free agent signings. That doesn’t stop the reporting on the in-progress negotiations, though.

While some stars and their desires have not made it to the media, information is getting revealed by intrepid reporters.

We can start in Los Angeles, where the Sparks seemed to have equal chance staying together as they did blowing the entire operation up and starting fresh. Yesterday morning it became apparent the franchise might be heading toward the latter, as sources were informed of a potential trade between LA and the Las Vegas Aces for guard Chelsea Gray.

Gray is everything you could ask for in an all-star floor general, top-10 in both assists and steals last season with respectable efficiency measures especially at the free throw line. The Aces are already a contender, but a player of this caliber could put them over the edge as the preseason title favorite, even if it means they cannot re-sign Kayla McBride.

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Even more important than Gray, the face of the LA Sparks franchise may be on the move. Candace Parker has a legitimate chance of joining the Chicago Sky this offseason, and it would be at the perfect time. With veteran guards in Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley in the backcourt, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and two-time MVP would immediately make the Sky a dangerous team this season on both ends of the court.

If there were a team that Parker would want to go to after 12 years with Los Angeles, it would be Chicago. The former number one pick is from Illinois and is arguably the most decorated high school athlete ever in the area. It would be a crushing blow to the Sparks’ chance at retaining any shell of their former team.

With one Parker in, another one would have to go. Cheyenne Parker had a breakout season for the Sky in 2020 in her first campaign as a starter. Not only did she increase her total output in most stat categories, but she is continuing to develop into the shooting threat that forwards and centers need to be in the modern WNBA.

It has been reported by Bailey Johnson that Cheyenne Parker could be on her way to Atlanta, where she would become the veteran cornerstone piece that could get the Dream into the postseason after disappointing back-to-back seasons.

There will be plenty more news to come in the days leading up to paper, so let’s remember that nothing is official until pen is signed to paper.

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