Former Sky favorite hints at trouble with team's GM after Fever loss

The timing on this is pretty rough
Washington Mystics v Chicago Sky
Washington Mystics v Chicago Sky | Patrick McDermott/GettyImages

Chennedy Carter has something to say following the Chicago Sky's 79-52 loss to the Indiana Fever. Carter, who was not resigned to the Sky at the conclusion of the 2024 season, posted a message on Threads Sunday that appeared to be directed at the team's GM Jeff Pagliocca.

Carter didn't reference Pagliocca directly in the message. "when the universe gives you signs you pay attention ! what goes around always comes back around. when you have ugly in your heart the outcome will always backfire πŸ…ΏοΈπŸ«΅πŸ½," she wrote. "just wanna say pay attention to the universe. it’s speaking to us 🏁."

Many fans have inferred that the P emoji indicates Carter's ire is directed at Pagliocca. Unfortunately, Carter posted the message soon after news of veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot's ACL tear was released, which caused a lot of fans to question her timing in the post's comments. Vandersloot went down with a knee injury during the first quarter of the game and is in her 15th season in the WNBA.

What happened with Chennedy Carter and the Chicago Sky

While the exact details of Carter's exit from the Sky have not been publicly shared, rumors of a discordant and volatile locker room surfaced after players' exit interviews. The team was Carter's third home in the league, and the sharpshooter arrived in Chicago with a bit of a reputation for causing problems.

That doesn't mean Carter didn't contribute mightily to the Sky last season. She was the team's best scorer, averaging 17.5 points per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the field. Carter went on to have an enormously successful season overseas in China during the offseason, but that wasn't enough for any WNBA team to bring her back into the fold.

Questions about GM Jeff Pagliocca continue to mount

Carter isn't the only person who seems to have questions about Pagliocca and his performance as GM, especially as it becomes evident the Sky are struggling this season. Some fans questioned his methods after last year's coach Teresa Weatherspoon was fired with very little explanation, and so far it appears the decision to trade the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2025 for Ariel Atkins has not panned out the way Pagliocca and coach Tyler Marsh insisted it would. The Sky also gave up the team's first-round draft picks to the Lynx back in April, a move that might come back around to haunt them after the 2025-26 season gets underway.

Criticism of any team's front office is always to be expected β€” these kind of conversations come with the game. With each loss, Pagliocca's leadership will continue to be examined, and he might not end up liking what fans come up with.