Sky’s surprising Chennedy Carter decision will catch entire WNBA’s attention

The Chicago Sky made the move to send qualifying offers to Nikolina Milić, Michaela Onyenwere and Dana Evans on Monday, per Annie Costabile of The Chicago Sun-Times. The team has yet to make Chennedy Carter an offer, though. Teams have until January 20 to make qualifying and core designation offers, but Chicago’s decision to not make an offer to Carter on Monday is surprising.

The Sky are planning to build around Angel Reese, who enjoyed a strong rookie season. Chicago may look to add in WNBA free agency, which officially begins in February. They could also look to make moves through trades. There is a chance that the Sky may look to move on from Carter, though.

Chennedy Carter’s impact should not be ignored

Carter has become one of the most underrated players in the WNBA. The 26-year-old led the Sky in 2024 with 17.5 points per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the field. Carter also recorded 3.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. The Sky ended up narrowly missing the postseason, but Carter helped them play at a competitive level in 2024.

Losing Carter, whether it be through free agency or a trade, would be a difficult blow for the Sky. However, Chicago’s decision on Monday suggests that the team may be open to moving on. Anything can happen from now until January 20, so it will be a situation worth paying attention to.

The Sky are looking to reach the postseason in 2025. Reese, who suffered an injury toward the end of the 2024 campaign, will look to take a step forward in her second WNBA season. The 22-year-old was selected to the WNBA All-Star team in 2024, and she ended up averaging 13.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

The Sky should have a chance to compete once again. If Chicago does move on from Carter, though, they must find a way to replace her scoring. They traded Marina Mabrey during the 2024 season, as Mabrey was second in scoring while playing for the Sky. With Mabrey no longer on the roster and a Carter departure seemingly becoming a possibility, adding scoring will be a priority for the Sky this offseason.

Nothing is certain in reference to Chennedy Carter’s future with the team, however. A reunion could still come to fruition. The Sky’s decision on Monday is something to think about, though.