Why Sky traded Angel Reese to Dream in unexpected but logical WNBA blockbuster
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Why Sky traded Angel Reese to Dream in unexpected but logical WNBA blockbuster originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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There wasn't really any buzz about such a move, but out of nowhere on Monday, Angel Reese was traded.
The Chicago Sky sent the talented and popular lefty to the Atlanta Dream. Reese's third WNBA season won't be spent in the Windy City, but instead in the ATL.
The deal, according to Annie Costabile, looks like this:
- Dream get: Angel Reese, second-right pick swap in 2028
- Sky get: Dream first-round pick in 2027; Dream first-round pick in 2028
Reese has made the All-Star Game in each of her first two seasons, but Chicago has decided to move on.
Why did the Sky trade Angel Reese?
The Sky likely decided to maximize Reese's value as a player still under contract while most of the league hits free agency this offseason.
Chicago may also recognize after a couple of years of seeing Reese up close that her statistical accumulation doesn't always lead to winning
In 2025, Reese averaged 14.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks per game.
But she's not an efficient scorer at all for her size, shooting just 45.8% from the field and 18.2% from 3-point range. And her trademarked "Me-Bounds" sum it up quite simply — she's missing such easy shots that she has a chance to get the ball right back.
The Sky already have a more efficient frontcourt scorer in Kamilla Cardoso, and she also can't shoot from the outside. Having two such players on the roster may not have made sense.
Chicago could also be eying a big move in free agency.
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Why did the Dream trade for Angel Reese?
Reese, even with her flaws, is one of the league's most talented young players and one of its most popular.
Both of those things made her appealing to Atlanta.
She has set all sorts of early-career rebounding records, and while not all of her rebounds are difficult, she still rebounds at an absurd rate.
Her burgeoning playmaking for her teammates in year two was also encouraging and showed that Reese might still have untapped offensive upside.
Securing Reese as a known commodity on the roster while the league chases lots of talent in the free agent pool may make the Dream simply feel a little more intact as the season approaches.
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