The Sky are at a crossroads.
Behind door No. 1 is the franchise’s sixth consecutive playoff berth.
Behind door No. 2 is a lottery pick.
However, what no one within the franchise has been open to admitting — going back to former coach/general manager James Wade — is that door No. 2 might better serve them in the long run. But with just seven games remaining in the regular season and a loosening grip on the eighth and final remaining playoff spot, the path taken might be chosen for them.
“We’re not thinking [about the lottery,]” Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon said. “We’re thinking about staying in the playoffs where we are right now, bettering ourselves as we move, gaining momentum and doing what we want to do in the playoffs. That’s our mission.”
The Sky’s “mission” currently appears beyond their capabilities.
The first seven teams have clinched their spots in the playoffs, which leaves five vying for the last one remaining. The Sky and Dream are tied at eighth currently, however, the Mystics, Wings, and Sparks are all still technically in contention.
One of Wade’s last moves as GM before taking a job in the NBA was to trade for guard Marina Mabrey. She subsequently requested a trade out of Chicago with over a year left on her protected veteran contract. Part of that trade in 2023 included Wade giving up the Sky’s rights to their first-round pick in the 2025 draft to the Wings in a pick swap.
The WNBA draft lottery automatically includes the four teams that do not make the playoffs. Each team’s cumulative record over the past two seasons determines their odds of selecting picks 1-4.
In the unlikely scenario that the Wings — who play the Sky in Chicago on Sunday — overtake the eighth spot, the Sky would send their lottery pick to the Wings. However, if both teams fail to make the playoffs, the Wings will only implement the pick swap if the Sky end up with a higher selection in the lottery.
Most mock drafts have UConn guard Paige Bueckers going No. 1 overall. This doesn’t concern the Sky because even if they end up missing the playoffs and land the No. 1 pick through the lottery, the Wings would swap for it. The highest pick the Sky could end up with is No. 2.
The 2025 draft class is already being praised for its depth.
Beyond Bueckers, there is Stanford forward Kiki Iriafen and Chicago product Aneesah Morrow who are currently projected as top-four picks. Dominique Malonga — a 6-6 center from France — is another projected lottery pick.
The Sky are in desperate need of shooters, which may cause some to question the fit of these three players, specifically. If their value doesn’t show up directly in the form of them suiting up for the Sky it will indirectly through a trade.
Sky GM Jeff Pagliocca also acquired the Sun’s 2025 first-round pick, which provides him with another asset to package and ship out or a player that could help them through another chapter of their rebuild. In 2026, the Sky will once again have two first-round picks.
The Lynx own the rights to swap first-round picks with the Sky in 2026. However, the Sky also owns either the Mercury’s 2026 first-round pick or the Sun’s.
When Pagliocca traded Kahleah Copper to the Mercury, included in the package was the Mercury’s 2026 first-round pick. When Pagliocca was forced to trade Mabrey, he acquired the right to swap the 2026 first-round pick he acquired from the Mercury with the Sun.
This could amount to a lottery pick in the draft that will potentially include USC star Juju Watkins, pending changes to the league’s collective bargaining agreement that requires a player to be 22 years old, have completed their college eligibility or be four years removed from high school.
Wednesday, Chennedy Carter — the Sky’s leading scorer — returned to practice following a four-game absence due to illness. She echoed Weatherspoon’s sentiments regarding their playoff push.
However, the Sky needs to start thinking about the long game, which will be won through the draft.