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“That’s not a trade thing,” Johnson told reporters.
Two days later, Edwards was traded to the Sun for Jacy Sheldon. The trade essentially flipped the fifth (Sheldon) and sixth (Edwards) picks in the 2024 WNBA Draft. At the same time, the Mystics and Sun agreed to swap first-round picks in next year’s draft ahead of time (Washington had Minnesota’s, Connecticut had New York’s).
Edwards and Sheldon are now on their second teams in two seasons, and it says more about how the league has moved its young players around in recent years than their production or potential.
Nearly 40 percent of players who made rosters after being drafted from 2022-24 already have played for at least two teams.
That includes former No. 2 overall pick NaLyssa Smith, who was drafted by the Fever in 2022 then traded after three seasons to Dallas, and is now in Las Vegas. It also includes 2023 No. 2 pick Diamond Miller, who spent two-plus years in Minnesota before being traded last week to Dallas.
Queen Egbo, the 10th overall pick in the 2022 draft, already has played for almost half the league (Indiana, Washington, Connecticut, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas).
Generally, contracts for drafted players run for three years, with a team option for the fourth. Many players aren’t getting to three years.
Six players from last year’s draft are no longer with the teams that drafted them. Seven players from the 2023 draft are on different teams now. Twelve players from the 2022 draft are in different jerseys this season.
Around this time a year ago, Edwards was settling in as a starter in Washington, averaging 7.6 points and 5.6 rebounds as a rookie.
In a year’s time, things changed.
The Mystics already had Shakira Austin in their frontcourt, along with Stefanie Dolson and Emily Engstler. They drafted Kiki Iriafen with the No. 4 overall pick in April. Iriafen became an instant All-Star, and it became more difficult for Johnson to find room for Edwards.
“With five post players, just trying to allow them to get in a rhythm,” Johnson said. “Three minutes for Aaliyah is tough. Seven minutes for Aaliyah is tough. It’s tough for any of them. Just trying my best.”
Sheldon was in a similar position. She was a regular with the Sun this season, averaging 24.1 minutes and making 13 straight starts from June 15 to July 15. But when Marina Mabrey returned from a knee injury, Sheldon went back to the bench for the final seven games of her run with the Sun.
The eye test says the trade put Edwards and Sheldon in better situations. No team in the league shoots fewer 3-pointers than the Mystics, so adding Sheldon, who’s taken half her shots this season from long range, addresses that. Meanwhile, the Sun are the worst rebounding team in the league, and Edwards averages 8.9 rebounds per 36 minutes.
“I’m very excited because I think she can bring something we needed,” Sun coach Rachid Meziane told reporters last week. “Some size, some strength. And she’s bringing us a lot of fresh energy. I think that for our success, that’s very important.”
Edwards also has history as a former UConn star.
“Having Aaliyah with us is positioning the team for the future,” added Meziane.
Who’s hooping
A’Ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces: A month ago, the Aces were two games under .500 at 9-11, on the outside of the playoff field looking in. Since then, they’ve gone on a run, winning six of their last seven and nine of their last 12. Now they’re sitting at 18-14, tied with the Fever for the fifth-best record in the league, looking very much like a team no one wants to face in the first round.
Wilson’s 32-point, 20-rebound night Sunday against the Sun was something the league had never seen, but it’s been the standard for her this season. She’s put up six 30-point double-doubles this season (The Aces are 5-1 in those games). Alyssa Thomas, Nneka Ogwumike, Napheesa Collier, and Sabrina Ionescu are the only other players with 30-point double-doubles this season, and they each have one.
Wilson has 113 career double-doubles. The only active players with more are Ogwumike (115) and the all-time leader, Tina Charles (199).
But in terms of scoring binges while dominating the glass, Wilson is in a class of her own, with 22 career 30-point double-doubles.
Appointment viewing
New York Liberty vs. Los Angeles Sparks, Tuesday, 10 p.m.: The Liberty will have to hold things together until Breanna Stewart’s expected return at the end of the month. The Sparks have won nine of their last 11.
Seattle Storm vs. Atlanta Dream, Friday, 10 p.m.: The Storm are trying to keep a five-game losing streak from getting worse. To stop it, they’ll have to get through an Atlanta team that’s won five straight.
Julian Benbow can be reached at julian.benbow@globe.com.
