Despite having the worst record in the WNBA, the Connecticut Sun made one of the most shocking moves of the season, trading with the Washington Mystics for forward Aaliyah Edwards.
Edwards, 22, is in her second year in the WNBA after being selected sixth overall by the Washington Mystics in the 2024 draft. In return, the Mystics will receive Jacy Sheldon, the fifth overall pick from the same draft class. Sheldon spent one season with the team that drafted her, the Dallas Wings, before joining the Sun. In addition, the Mystics will earn the rights to swap first-round picks with the Sun in 2026.
Edwards is a bit of a Connecticut legend, playing her college years at UConn, where she won numerous awards and honors, helping the team to three trips to the NCAA Final Four and one trip to the NCAA Championship Game. Her WNBA career has been a bit lackluster, though she is still young and figuring out her role in the league.
Here is everything to know about this trade.
Aaliyah Edwards outlook
Edwards was highly-touted coming out of college. It would’ve been hard not to laud her talent after she’d received a multitude of honors and distinctions including first-team All-American (2024), third-team All-American (2023), first-team All-Big East (2023-24), Big East Most Improved Player (2023), Big East Sixth Woman of the Year (2021), and Big East All-Freshman team (2021). However, Edwards is more than a Connecticut legend coming home.
She flashed serious potential during her rookie campaign, averaging over 7 points and 5 rebounds during her rookie season. While her numbers have fallen off during her sophomore campaign, she has shown potential to be a game-changer. But, she has not started a game for the Mystics all season.
With that in mind, it was probably in Washington’s best interests to trade Edwards away. Sheldon is a solid return, especially after the team traded guard Brittney Sykes to the Storm earlier this week. Sheldon will fill in nicely until Georgia Amoore returns from injury next year and even then, Sheldon has proven herself a more than capable bench option.
When is the WNBA trade deadline?
The WNBA trade deadline is Thursday, August 7, at 3 p.m. ET, meaning there are only a few hours left for teams to make trades at the time of writing this. This year’s trade deadline has been quieter than expected given the underlying circumstances surrounding the league’s upcoming CBA agreement, which the players are going to opt out of. With that in mind, many players arranged their contracts to expire following this season in anticipation of a pay raise next year.
With so many players on expiring deals, you’d expect to see more trades. However, the WNBA’s strict salary cap rules and draft pick restrictions make it difficult for trades to be made. That said, there are still a few high-end players that could be on the move before the deadline today.