The Angel Reese trade to the Dream left Carmelo Anthony in disbelief. Two first-round picks in 2027 and 2028 while also conceding 2028 second-round swap rights for a two-time All-Star was not something he was expecting. “Y’all are bugging,” Anthony said. It just added fuel to the fire for Chicago Sky. Last year, the Sky was voted the “worst organization” by the players in the Athletic poll. The 10-34 record had already raised red flags after some win-now moves, leading to intense criticism. Now, coach Tyler Marsh has pushed back on the “social media” narratives ahead of the 2026 season.
It has been a busy offseason for the Sky. After the Angel Reese trade, they have brought in some elite talent. Skylar Diggins arrives as an elite floor general from the Storm. They traded Ariel Atkins for Rickea Jackson to add young talent. Azurá Stevens returned to Chicago. The Sky even managed to get DiJonai Carrington away from the Minnesota Lynx. Marsh used these top-of-the-line signings as an example of why the narratives are “fake.”
“Players are aware of the negative things that get said. We’re all engaged in social media and what’s going on around us,” Marsh said in the press conference. “But Skylar has been around this league long enough to know what’s real and what’s fake, and there’s a reason she wanted to be here.”
The narratives have not been without reason. This offseason, the Sky traded two second-round draft picks for the expansion teams to not pick their players in the draft. The same squad that they are now rebuilding. The Reese trade is understandable because of lingering tension from last year.
Yet, it felt like they were falling into old patterns, like in the case of Sylvia Fowles, Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne, Kahleah Copper, and Gabby Williams. However, the franchise has bounced back and the players are backing the management.
Skylar Diggins cited proximity to her home, Notre Dame, and her family as one of her major reasons for moving to Chicago. However, she also ensured the franchise was heading in the right path. “Just listening to the direction of the Chicago Sky, talking to Tyler, talking to Jeff, I thought this was going to be a great fit for me,” she said. Marsh further shut down the narratives that Rickea Jackson is involuntarily in Chicago.
“There’s some discernment there that she’s able to recognize. I know one of your reporters mentioned that Rickea didn’t have much of a say in her trade, but players do have a lot of say nowadays,” Marsh said. “If she didn’t want to be part of what we’re building, she could voice that.”
The Sky corrected one of their major blunders with this trade. Conceding the No. 3 pick (Sonia Citron) and a 2027 first-round swap for Atkins last offseason was a disaster. But Jackson’s addition can make up for the losses. There was no solid reporting that Jackson had no say in it. While Jackson admitted that the “timeline was very fast,” she maintained excitement for the fresh start.
“You don’t get an Azura that left and want to come back here if you’re not doing things the right way,” Marsh further said. “As much as people want to speak on the negative, make sure you’re speaking about the things we do well just as loudly.”
The Sky has certainly built a competitive roster. But there is also the role of the new facility in these signings. Many players in the past have expressed disdain for Sky’s practice facility, the Sachs Recreation Center. Most recently, it was Rebecca Allen who described her experience in Chicago as “a little bit miserable. ” But Jeff Pagliocca and Tyler Marsh seem to have learned from their past mistakes.
Chicago Sky Plan A Playoff Push Despite Losing Angel Reese
Last couple of seasons, Angel Reese was the major contributor in almost every win. She was a walking double-double, averaging 14.1 points, 2.1 assists and 12.9 rebounds while making two All-Star Teams. She was the centerpiece of this project. It’s very rare that a team can improve after losing such a talent. But even with her gone, Jeff Pagliocca is confident that the Sky will aim for the top.
“We couldn’t be more proud of that last week and the draft,” Pagliocca said. We felt like we had a plan, we stuck to it, and we got our targets. We’re looking to compete with the best teams in the league, so I’m not going to give you a number, but we’re going to try to go after everybody.”
The team has a little bit of everything. Skylar Diggins averaged 15.5 points and 6 assists per game for Storm last year and brings experience. DiJonai Carrington adds defensive impact and hustle after averaging 1.2 steals per game for the Lynx while averaging just 16.6 minutes. Courtney Vandersloot is a more than capable backup point guard while coming off an ACL injury.
They retain Kamilla Cardoso in the paint, who will bring the size. Azura Stevens partly consolidates the rebounding lost in Reese as she averaged 8 rebounds and 12.8 points last year. The team is built to be miles better than last year but there are questions to be answered. Can they gel with so many new pieces? Marsh is still an inexperienced coach and will need to prove himself. Nevertheless, the offseason has constructed an all-round team, now it is up to the execution.
