In just one offseason, the Connecticut Sun went from a consistent playoff presence to one of the worst teams in the league. After losing head coach Stephanie White and most key players from the 2024 season, that drop-off is not very surprising. Only Marina Mabrey is left from the core that carried the Sun to the semifinals last season. DeWanna Bonner, Brionna Jones, DiJonai Carrington, Alyssa Thomas, and Ty Harris are all on new teams.
The Sun’s inability to keep their All-Stars and top players in town was not a great showing. However, the Sun’s biggest offseason blunder was leaving Veronica Burton unprotected in the expansion draft.
Veronica Burton is outplaying all young players on the Sun’s roster
Veterans Tina Charles and Marina Mabrey are currently leading the charge for the Sun. They are the only players producing significant offensive numbers. Despite their best efforts, the Sun won’t make the playoffs this season. They have only won two games so far.
A rebuild is inevitable for the Sun. That means developing their young players will be extremely important. Connecticut has some great young players. Saniya Rivers, Aneesah Morrow, and Jacy Sheldon have shown flashes of interesting talent.
And yet, Veronica Burton is outplaying all of them in her new role with the Golden State Valkyries. Burton, who was left unprotected in the expansion draft in December, is averaging career highs all across the board. She has turned from a defensive-minded reserve into the Valkyries’ primary playmaker and one of the team’s top scoring options.
Burton averages 28.7 minutes per game, slightly more than Rivers and Sheldon. Nevertheless, she averages almost double the points and assists.
Burton would have been a great player to have during a rebuilding era
At the time of the expansion draft, leaving Veronica Burton unprotected may have seemed like the right choice. With Marina Mabrey, DiJonai Carrington, and Ty Harris filling the brunt of the guard minutes, protecting a backup guard didn’t have to be a priority. Protecting Olivia Nelson-Ododa, however, ensured that the Sun would have a solid center even if they couldn’t keep Alyssa Thomas and Brionna Jones around in free agency.
In hindsight, the decision doesn’t look as great. The Sun are struggling and only have the future to look forward to. A lot of that future rests on the shoulders of their young players. Veronica Burton’s breakout with the Valkyries is a harsh reminder of what the Sun lost. Having a player like her would make the whole rebuilding process a lot easier to bear.