Back from the brink: The Sky's plan is starting to make sense

The Sky are turning this free agency period around.

They stumbled out of the gates when they dealt away Angel Reese — a franchise pillar — to the Dream for future picks. But their moves since then have brightened the outlook. Best case, they'll be fighting for a playoff spot. At worst, they'll be a fun team to watch.

The key signing was six-time All-WNBA guard Skylar Diggins. She's averaged 15.3 points and 6.2 assists with Seattle over the last two seasons.

"Skylar is a player we have coveted for years," general manager Jeff Pagliocca said in a statement. "We are ecstatic to bring her to Chicago. She is one of the all-time elite passers in our game and continues to play at a high level on both sides of the ball."

Points for persistence: Pagliocca swung and missed on Diggins in 2024, his first season as GM. Now Diggins might be the franchise's best free-agency signing since Emma Meesseman in 2022.

"Diggins is the kind of player who elevates everyone around her," coach Tyler Marsh said in a statement. "[She] is a true veteran leader, and she possesses unmatched speed and shot creation potential. I can't wait to work with her."

On top of adding star power, the Sky's other offseason priority was improving their spacing. The Reese and Kamilla Cardoso frontcourt pairing never fully quite clicked, since neither shoots much from the outside. That hampered the "pace-and-space" system that Marsh wants to run.

Enter Azurá Stevens.

The 6-6 stretch big is coming off a career year with the Sparks, averaging a career-high 12.8 points and shooting 38.1 percent from 3-point range. She finished second in Most Improved Player voting.

"I'm truly excited to be coming home to join the Chicago Sky," Stevens said in a statement. "This city means everything to me. The culture, the people, the passion for the game. To have the opportunity to come back to Chicago is amazing. I'm ready to get to work, embrace the moment, and give everything I have. Let's work."

Stevens was part of the Sky's 2021 championship team and the 2022 squad that finished atop the regular-season standings. Last season, playing for the Sparks, she torched the Sky for 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting.

Marsh's halftime message that day: "Don't let Azurá shoot anymore."

Marsh will be relieved to have her on his side this season. And he may have more firepower coming.

The Sky are reportedly in talks to trade Ariel Atkins to the Sparks for Rickea Jackson, another dynamic scorer from the 2024 draft class.

If the deal goes through, the Sky could be looking at a starting lineup of Diggins, Cardoso, Stevens and Jackson. That's plenty of talent, size and a lot more shot creation than last year's group.

It looks like a playoff-caliber group on paper.

But their ceiling still depends on how they fill out their bench. The Sky resigned reserves Elizabeth Williams and Rachel Banham. The rest of the rotation remains unsettled.

Long term, they also need to figure out the point guard spot. Neither Diggins, 35, nor Courtney Vandersloot, 37, will be around forever. Hailey Van Lith, the No. 11 pick in 2025, struggled to adapt as a rookie and is still recovering from an ankle injury.

The Sky added another option by trading for Jacy Sheldon. The No. 5 pick in 2024 draft bounced around her first two years — traded to Connecticut after her rookie season in Dallas, then dealt to Washington midway through 2025. But her stock climbed last season as she improved her 3-point percentage from 30.9 to 39.6.

Was that a fluke or the real deal? Can she keep developing into a high-quality starter?

The Sky gave up their 2028 first-round draft pick to find out.

Players Added

• Skylar Diggins, All-WNBA point guard
• Azurá Stevens, 6’6 stretch big
• Jacy Sheldon, 25-year old point guard
• Elizabeth Williams, returner, defensive center
• Rachel Banham, returner, shooter

Draft Capital Retained (First-Round Only)

• 2026 No. 5 pick
• 2027 pick
• Dream’s 2027, 2028 picks (from Reese deal)

Draft Capital Owed

• Mystics have the right to swap for the Sky’s 2027 pick
• Sky sent the Mystics their 2028 pick (for Sheldon)