The WNBA has seen one former MVP retire, and another traded within 24 hours of one another. While 2014 MVP Maya Moore had been away from the game for a couple of seasons already due to personal reasons, 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones was still playing at an All-Star level for a Connecticut Sun team that has been among the best in the league. It’s unusual to see an MVP traded in their prime, and when it happens it’s always a blockbuster. Let’s explore the ramifications of this move, particularly for your fantasy squads.
Jones is by-far the biggest impact player in this trade. She was named WNBA MVP in 2021 after averaging career-best marks of 19.4 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.6 3PG and 1.3 SPG with an additional 1.3 BPG that ranked as the second-best average of her career. Her production regressed a bit in 2022 (14.6 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.2 3PG, 1.2 BPG, 1.1 SPG), but a lot of that is likely due to situation and context. Frontcourt injuries and excellent play led to Jones playing a career-high 31.7 MPG in 2021, but the Sun fielded an extremely deep and talented set of forwards and centers last season that squeezed Jones down to 26.4 MPG. Her shooting percentages were almost identical across the two seasons, indicating that she has the capacity to produce…
