Chicago Sky and Seattle Storm Should Make a Draft Deal Before 2026

The Chicago Sky missed the playoffs for the second season in a row. Under first-year head coach Tyler Marsh, the Sky lost more games in 2025 than they did the season before under Teresa Weatherspoon.

Nonetheless, Chicago is bringing back Marsh for a second year. Unlike the Sky, the Seattle Storm relieved their head coach of duties. After nearly five seasons in Seattle, Noelle Quinn was let go. The Storm made the playoffs all but one season during her tenure.

The two teams have worked with each other on trade packages before. One of the more notable deals involved Swin Cash who won multiple titles with the now-defunct Detroit Shock.

If Chicago and Seattle were to entertain more calls with one another, here is one potential deal that makes sense heading into 2026.

Currently, Chicago owns the fifth overall draft pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. Seattle, despite being one of the better teams in the league last season, possesses the third overall pick. In addition, the Storm have another late first-round pick, and the Sky have an early second-round pick.

Swapping the two picks doesn’t help Seattle. Thus, they wouldn’t agree to this deal.

However, the Sky trading their first-round pick in 2027 to the Storm makes sense. Chicago only has forward Angel Reese and center Kamilla Cardoso on their roster next season from their 2025 starting lineup.

Hailey Van Lith and Maddy Westbeld are still under contract, as well. Yet, neither rookie from the 2025 WNBA Draft materialized into a regular role player for Chicago last season.

If Chicago traded the fifth overall pick of the 2026 WNBA Draft and a future first-round pick, the Storm may be enticed to pull the trigger. Seattle still has stars like Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike looking fora new contract. The Storm may rather use their salary cap space to bring back both players allowing justification to unload both picks in the 2026 WNBA Draft.

While Chicago has better options on the trade market, it’s worth a look at glancing at what Seattle has to offer. Otherwise, trading for one of their players who are under contract like Lexie Brown or Katie Lou Samuelson might be an option.

Samuelson has played for the Sky. She was originally drafted by Chicago in 2019. Similar to veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot, Samuelson suffered an ACL tear in 2025 and missed significant time.

In the case of Lexie Brown, the Sky could use a veteran guard if Vandersloot does not return to Chicago in 2026. The team could also lose another former WNBA champion in Ariel Atkins to free agency, too.

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