No team has been quite as good as Minnesota this season. With a 23-5 record and a big win over the Liberty, the Lynx sit firmly in first place in the regular-season standings. They seem destined to return to the finals after last year’s heartbreaking loss to the Liberty in Game 5.
While the Lnyx’s roster is already strong, there is a chance for the team to improve even further. After all, coach Cheryl Reeve only trusted two of her reserves to play significant minutes against the Liberty. The trade deadline is coming up on August 7. It marks a final opportunity for the Lynx to significantly improve the roster before.
The Liberty’s competition has already made significant roster moves
Not many teams can beat the Lynx, but that doesn’t mean they are invincible. The New York Liberty and Phoenix Mercury are also well set up to go on deep playoff runs and challenge the Lynx for the championship.
Both teams have made significant moves to improve the roster. Phoenix signed DeWanna Bonner after her exit from the Indiana Fever. Bonner is a championship veteran and gives the Mercury a fourth star next to Satou Sabally, Alyssa Thomas, and Kahleah Copper. She also provides a massive boost off the bench.
The Liberty signed Emma Meesseman, who should join the team sooner rather than later. Meesseman is widely regarded as the best European player in the game. She has won several EuroLeague MVPs and just led Belgium to a gold medal.
Meesseman was the best unsigned player left and has the potential to drastically swing the playoff race. She had reportedly considered signing with all three contenders, but ultimately chose the Liberty. Losing the sweepstakes for the best free agent still available was a tough blow for the Lynx.
While the Mercury and Liberty made big moves, the Lynx have been quiet. They barely made any changes in the offseason besides adding Karlie Samuelson and Jessica Shepard to the roster. During the season, their only move was to waive Alissa Pili.
Minnesota could use more guard depth
Overall, Minnesota has a well-rounded roster. However, the team could use some additional depth at the guard/wing spots. Diamond Miller, who took over Karlie Samuelson’s minutes when she suffered a season-ending injury, is young and inexperienced, which is not necessarily what the Lynx want to rely on in the playoffs, especially if one of their key players suffers an injury.
Moreover, Bridget Carleton is having a down year. After shooting 44.4 percent from three last season, Carleton’s average and volume have dropped. Over 27 games, she only connected on 34.9 percent of her 3.9 attempts from long range. While she has been more aggressive lately, her inconsistency could end up being an issue in the playoffs.
So, it couldn’t hurt if the Lynx acquired another veteran scorer and 3-point threat. When Marina Mabrey asked to be traded out of Connecticut in the offseason, she seemed like the perfect fit for Minnesota. Mabrey is a scoring guard, who can space the floor and defend well. However, it is unclear whether the Sun are finally open to trading her.
Considering how much the Sun have struggled, it is unlikely that Mabrey will want to re-sign with the team once she becomes an unrestricted free agent. Trading her to a contender desperate for a playoff boost would ensure that the Sun don’t lose her for nothing. Minnesota also has plenty of assets that could be interesting to a rebuilding team, like several picks in the next two years, or the rights to French youngster Maïa Hirsch.