It was meant to be a season of reinvention for the Chicago Sky. Rookie head coach Tyler Marsh was appointed in the offseason with the intention of igniting a stale offense and reuniting a fanbase that is desperate to witness its franchise rise like a phoenix from the ashes.
However, with one game remaining on the Sky’s schedule, Chicago has plummeted to an embarrassing 10-33 record and also has a new Angel Reese conundrum to solve after she appeared to criticize her teammates in an interview with the Chicago Tribune—which she later apologized for.
Just to further rub salt in the fresh wounds of Chicago, with the prospect of the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire due to join the WNBA in 2026, the Sky's extended list of problems is beginning to create a worrying future for the franchise. The expansion will add more competition for a Sky team already struggling to attract high-level players and build a winning roster.
Tempo and Fire's roster construction could hinder Chicago
The expansion of the WNBA indicates that the women's game is gathering serious momentum; however, it comes at the expense of franchises that languish at the depths of the league—predominantly the Chicago Sky.
One requirement for an expansion team to be ready to commence its journey in the league is that it must have 11 players signed on to its roster. For this to work, each existing franchise must submit a roster list to the league, in which they can protect six players that they deem indispensable—or at least six was the number used in the expansion draft for the Golden State Valkyries. Any other players will become available in the expansion draft. Expansion franchises are limited to selecting one player from a particular team.
Both the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire will be poring through the available pool of players and scouring the free agency market. Why is this an issue for Chicago? It will severely limit the front office's ability to cherry-pick players who can positively contribute to a roster that lacks an offensive identity.
To make matters worse, the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) and the league may not agree on a new CBA, which would restrict all franchises' ability to speak with free agents and construct their desired lineups. With around 80% of the league's players set to be unrestricted free agents in the offseason, the Sky cannot afford to lose any time at the negotiation table.
It cannot be denied that the future is bleak in Chicago. One saving grace is that they own the Connecticut Sun's 2026 first-round pick, which will be a lottery selection as it stands. Will this pick change the trajectory of a franchise that is in turmoil? The answer to that question is one that the Sky fan base may already know the answer to.