The Connecticut Solar have formally cored 11-year veteran Alyssa Thomas, per the WNBA transactions web page. That implies that the 5-time All-Star shall be supplied a one-year contract on the WNBA’s highest potential wage ($249,244) — and that she’s unable to barter with different groups as a free agent this offseason. Up to now, nonetheless, WNBA gamers have requested trades after receiving the core designation, so the transfer doesn’t essentially imply that Thomas will keep in Connecticut.
Thomas is the sixth WNBA star to be cored this winter, becoming a member of Gabby Williams (Seattle Storm), Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces), Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever), Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), and Satou Sabally (Dallas Wings).
Thomas was one of many prime free brokers available on the market this winter — she was named to the First Group All-WNBA in every of the final two seasons, averaging 10.6 factors, 8.4 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per recreation final yr. She’s additionally the league’s all-time chief in triple-doubles and one in all its most impactful defenders.
Final season, the Solar completed with a 28-12 report and misplaced to the Minnesota Lynx in 5 video games within the WNBA semi-finals. 4 of their 5 starters — Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, Brionna Jones, and DiJonai Carrington — had been all free brokers coming into the offseason, with Carrington being the one restricted of the bunch.
Photograph by Chris Marion/NBAE through Getty Photographs
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Along with coring Thomas, the Solar supplied Carrington a qualifying supply. Carrington, the WNBA’s Most Improved Participant in 2024, was an integral a part of the workforce’s success final season, sometimes guarding the opposing groups’ prime guards and averaging 12.7 factors, 5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per night time. The Solar additionally supplied reserved participant Caitlin Bickle a qualifying supply.
It’s an unsure offseason for the Connecticut Solar, who employed Rachid Meziane, a French skilled coach, as their new head coach following the departure of Stephanie White to the Indiana Fever. Common supervisor Morgan Tuck advised SB Nation final month that the workforce had an “open-minded” method to the offseason.
“We’ve had a whole lot of change throughout the final couple of months, and extra change to return, clearly,” Tuck stated. “However, we’re a Connecticut workforce, and Connecticut is understood for having actually aggressive groups and actually good groups — so I don’t assume we will shrink back from that and the expectations round how good we must be. But it surely takes time — and you must have change, and get issues arrange.”
Will Alyssa Thomas return to Connecticut?
Whether or not the core designation means the Solar intends to maintain collectively their Large 3 of Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, and Brionna Jones for one more season. At 29 years previous, Jones has by no means performed for one more group — and she or he’s coming off a completely wholesome season through which she averaged 13.7 factors and 5.5 rebounds per recreation.
At 37 years previous, Bonner — Thomas’s fiance — seems to have loads left within the tank and could possibly be a high-level contributor on a number of championship groups. Bonner was named an All-Star for the sixth time in her profession final season after averaging 15 factors, 6 rebounds, and a pair of assists per recreation. In contrast to Thomas and Jones, she already has a WNBA championship below her belt.
Each Bonner and Jones could select to go elsewhere this offseason, and Tuck acknowledged that some free company selections are out of the Suns’ management.
“There are some gamers that we have now a bit bit extra pull [with], and a few the place, ‘hey, they get to decide on the place they go,” Tuck stated.
Thomas has spent her whole profession with the Solar however has additionally voiced her displeasure with the workforce’s lack of facilities on quite a few events; Connecticut is one in all only a handful of groups that don’t have their very own practice facility, nor plans to construct one.
The Solar practices on the Tribal Apply Facility, which is part of the Mohegan Community and Government Center in Uncasville, Connecticut. The workforce doesn’t have unique entry to the ability, and final Spring, within the playoffs, Thomas described the actual fact the workforce needed to share the court docket with a toddler’s birthday as “the ultimate disrespect.”
It’s not clear if Thomas’s points with the workforce’s restricted facilities will forestall her from wanting to stick with the group. She can also need a change of tempo after spending her whole WNBA profession up to now in Uncasville. However, it’s additionally very potential that the workforce will attempt to run it again with an identical core to final yr. Guards Ty Harris and Marina Mabrey are each again with the workforce subsequent season.
“You simply have to take a look at the total image and see what makes essentially the most sense,” Tuck stated. “What’s going that can assist you to stay aggressive, however then additionally set us up for the long run as nicely.”
