NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Chicago Sky will be heavy players this offseason during the 2025 WNBA Draft and free agency. The goal is to add perimeter scoring and to find a facilitator to help their young bigs in the paint. One name that keeps coming up is Kelsey Plum of the Las Vegas Aces.
The Sky does have the option of resigning Chennedy Carter to lead the charge and even if they do, they will still have a considerable amount of cash left over. The Sky is expected to have over $1M in cap space and only $483,475 is going towards their current players left on the roster. This is what happens when you draft right.
The frontline is spearheaded by Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. What the Sky needs are players on the perimeter who can make shots. Plum fits that to a tee and she brings over a winning resume on the WNBA and Olympic level.
Last season for the Aces, Plum averaged 17.8 points and 4.2 assists while hitting .368 percent from deep. Plum was not the star of the Aces but she played her role as best as anyone in the league. During her time with Vegas, Plum was named to 3-straight All-Star appearances and was a member of 2 Championship teams. The Sky is a younger team in need of veteran leadership and not just the kind to sit on the bench and give directions but one where players can watch and learn from on the floor.
Will Plum leave Vegas is the million-dollar question. Her chemistry with Aja Wilson is great and they may do whatever it takes to keep her but if Plum is hell-bent on getting more for her worth, then helping lead a young Chicago Sky team back to prominence might be her best course of action.
For the Sky, selling Plum on their team may not be as hard as may may think. Yes, they missed the playoffs last season but that was not without a fight. A late-season wrist injury to Reese all but sealed that deal but with Reese coming back healthy, plus a year of experience for Cardoso, the Sky does have the potential to get back up the standings. But that’s not all.
The Sky’s front office can also sell Plum on the 2 draft picks they have in 2025 which are in the Top 10. The Sky currently holds the No. 3 and 10th pick coming up and a treasure chest of money to make the necessary moves. Vegas is coming off another strong performance last season and was in the hunt for a three-peat. However, with the team getting older, the Sky does pose a challenge for a player like Plum who can strive in these conditions.
Cardoso and Reese together are a problem for any team in the post. Plum on the outside will be one of the main pieces that was missing last season. In 2024, the Chicago Sky finished 12th (last) in 3-point attempts, 12th (last) in 3-pointers made, 11th in FG, and 11th in assists.
If they can land Kelsey Plum and add other pieces, plus use those draft picks to get quality players, the Chicago Sky could be a force in 2025. With a new head coach set to take the reigns after the firing of Theresa Witherspoon, the team is still headed in the right direction. What’s left is for the front office to continue to be smart.
So far, they’ve drafted right and even made smart trades that snagged them 4 draft picks in the last two years. For them to become winners, they have to attack the offseason like a tornado. Kelsey Plum should be at the top of their list.
