The Washington Mystics are in a great position to make a playoff push despite being the youngest team in the league. They enter the post-All-Star stretch as the eighth seed with a 14-12 record and a 2.5-game lead over the ninth-placed Portland Fire.
Trying to make the playoffs makes all the sense in the world for this team. Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, and Shakira Austin need postseason experience, and thanks to the Chicago Sky, who sent out a 2027 first-round pick swap when they traded for Ariel Atkins last year, the Mystics could do that while still landing a lottery pick.
Trading for a veteran point guard would vastly boost the Mystics’ chances of making the playoffs and standing a chance in a playoff series against Minnesota, Golden State, or Las Vegas. Skylar Diggins, whose move to Chicago hasn’t worked out well, would be a perfect fit. However, the Sky have no incentive to help the Mystics get better unless they can get that pick swap back in a trade, which would be a big loss for Washington, considering the talent in next year’s draft.
However, they might be able to convince the Toronto Tempo to trade Julie Allemand. It wouldn't be quite the same statement as trading for Diggins, but it would still boost the Mystics’ offense.
Julie Allemand could help stabilize the Mystics’ offense
The Mystics have been crushing it defensively this season. They have the third-best defensive rating in the league, trailing only the Valkyries and Lynx. Running a smooth offense has been a bigger challenge for the young team. The Mystics have the second-worst offensive rating in the W and the worst assist/turnover numbers.
They turn the ball over almost 17 times per game, and opponents score an average of 19.3 points off turnovers per game against the Mystics. Julie Allemand rarely turns the ball over. She averages just 1.8 turnovers per game. She recorded 14 assists with 0 turnovers in a win over the Sparks in June and 10 assists with just 1 turnover in a two-point win against the Liberty earlier this month.
She’s the kind of steadying presence this Mystics team needs. Inserting her into the starting lineup would allow Georgia Amoore to take a step back and develop without the immense pressure of being the starting point guard for a young team that’s vastly outperforming expectations after her ACL tear last season.
The Mystics have ample cap space, plenty of picks, and young players to send out.
What would be in it for the Tempo?
Brittney Sykes still doesn’t have a timeline for her return to the court. Without Sykes, Toronto won’t make the playoffs—unless they can pull off a big swing at the trade deadline. So, they may be interested in moving one of their veterans for draft picks that they can then use in offseason trades to improve their chances of making the playoffs next year. They may also be interested in some of the Mystics’ young bench players.
Moving Allemand would also create increased opportunities for Kiki Rice, who is expected to return from injury soon, to play and develop as much as possible.
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