The Sky traded forward Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream for a bag full of magic beans.
Well, not literally. But for a two-time All-Star and the expected pillar of the franchise, the actual return is a pittance.
The Sky will receive no star players to fill the immediate void of Reese’s absence. They won’t receive a single asset in the 2026 draft. Instead, the Sky get the Dream’s first-round picks in 2027 and 2028.
“This trade is designed to achieve roster balance and represents a great opportunity for all parties,” general manager Jeff Pagliocca said in a statement. “Angel has achieved many record-breaking milestones in her first two years in the WNBA and has been a competitive force for the Sky. We are thankful for her many important contributions to this league and this game, and we know she will continue to have a big impact on the court and beyond. We wish Angel all the best in her next chapter.”
That next chapter could indeed be very bright—for Reese and the Dream. The Dream finished second in the regular season last year and boast one of the savviest coaches in the league. If All-Star guards Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray re-sign, they’ll be immediate contenders again.
Which is why Pagliocca can hope the 2027 and 2028 picks amount to something, but are more likely to turn into selections in the late first round.
We don’t know for certain why the Sky couldn’t negotiate a better haul, but a return this lean is usually the hallmark of a desperate seller.
What we do know is that the long-term commitment between Reese and the Sky fractured last season. Reese stopped singing the organization’s tune, instead challenging their self-image as a franchise on the rise. The Sky didn’t appreciate her criticisms, however obvious they might have been.
It feels trite to say an era is ending before it truly began, but that is the recurring loop in Chicago. We saw it most recently with Kahleah Copper, who signed an extension in 2024 to be the centerpiece of the franchise, only to demand a trade months later.
At least that forced exit yielded a lottery pick, which became center Kamilla Cardoso. She and Reese were supposed to be the organization’s “next chapter.”
Now the future is up in the air again. With the WNBA’s free agency period running from today through April 18, the Sky will have the next two weeks to create some sense of direction.