The Golden State Valkyries have made history throughout the season, but the ultimate goal has always been to make the playoffs at the very least. It was pretty obvious that the Golden State Valkyries planned on making a playoff push with the current roster that has seen a lot of changes throughout the season. From signing, waiving, and re-signing Kaitlyn Chen to waiving Julie Vanloo as soon as she landed back in the US after EuroBasket, the Valkyries have been trying to build a winning roster all year.
Over the course of the last few weeks, the plans have not changed, but the odds have not been in Golden State's favor. Last week, the team reported that nine-year veteran Kayla Thornton suffered a knee injury at practice. Soon after, they announced that she underwent surgery and would miss the remainder of the season. This was an extremely tough blow, as Thornton led the team in points, rebounds, and steals. Coming off of her first career All-Star nod, Thornton and the Valkyries were looking to make a run after losing their last three games before the All-Star break. That will be much more difficult now.
If they drop out of the playoff race now that Thornton is out, they'd have to change their plans and either make a move at the trade deadline or go all in on the lottery. Golden State has not been in talks of any major trades as of late, but a lot can change between now and August 7.
The next few games could decide the Valkyries’ playoff fate
Despite losing Thornton, things were looking hopeful following Golden State's 86-76 win against the Dallas Wings back on July 25. That feeling did not last long after their devastating 95-64 loss to the Connecticut Sun (4-21) on July 27. That said, the Valkyries were able to squeeze out a 77-75 win against the Atlanta Dream on July 29.
The playoff standings are very close at the bottom with the Aces, Mystics, Valkyries, and Sparks all making a play for one of the final postseason spots. This is not an ideal situation for a Valkyries team that just lost its best player. Firstly, the Aces are starting to heat up. Las Vegas is coming off an 89-74 road win against Los Angeles. The win was highlighted by a 34-point and 10-rebound performance by A'ja Wilson as well as a first triple-double (18 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists) for Jackie Young. On top of this, Cameron Brink made her much-anticipated return that same game. She came in and put up 5 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 block in just 14 minutes of play.
The reality is that the Valkyries have a tough road ahead to keep their playoff hopes alive. They will be facing a mixture of seasoned vets with the Aces and Sparks, as well as extraordinary rookies in Washington all within a few weeks. It has quickly become a win-or-go-home situation for Golden State. They face the Washington Mystics, Las Vegas Aces, and Los Angeles Sparks in four of their next six games. Those games will play a huge role in the final playoff standings. If the Valkyries drop a few, it would force the Valkyries to make some serious changes, whether that be to the roster or their goals for the season.