WNBA free agency got off to a wild start Monday morning when the Chicago Sky announced Angel Reese had been traded to the Atlanta Dream. The news has been generally received with a lot of excitement by Dream fans, though the same can't really be said for fans of the Sky.
The update comes after a 2025 season that was filled with speculation Reese was unhappy playing for the Sky. Chicago drafted Reese as the No. 7 overall pick in 2024, and she's averaged averaged 14 points and just under 13 rebounds per game in her first two seasons in the league.
“I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to join the Atlanta Dream organization,” Reese said in a news release from the Dream. “I’m focused on continuing to grow my game, competing at the highest level, connecting with the fans, and giving everything I’ve got to the Dream.”
The Angel Reese trade could change things for the Dream
The Dream gave up their 2027 and 2028 first-round picks to get Reese, which appears to be a signal the team plans to build around her as a star. That's great news for Reese, but calls into question the role of another player on the team: Rhyne Howard.
Howard was drafted by the Dream as the No. 1 overall pick in 2022, and has steadily endeared herself to fans ever since. She's been thought of us as the face of the franchise, and the type of player the Dream will keep front and center for years to come.
Nothing about Reese's arrival in Atlanta changes that, and there's nothing stopping the Dream from having multiple superstars, but it's hard to argue that anyone else on the team will bring the fanbase Reese can, or that anyone else would be able to sustain that fanbase once it's there.
With this trade, the Sky officially have three players under contract: Reese, Te-Hina Paopao, and Taylor Thierry. There's no reason to believe Howard won't also resign with the team, and stars Allisha Gray, Brionna Jones, and Brittney Griner are also expected back.
Angel Reese could see her career completely change this season
Joining the Dream is a win-win scenario for Reese and for the team. The Dream made a pretty strong playoffs run last season, something they're likely to repeat this year. In fact, adding Reese to the roster increases their odds of enjoying a successful postseason indeed — and being on the team could give Reese her first shot at seeing what WNBA playoffs are really like.