The Minnesota Lynx go into Monday’s WNBA draft holding the No. 2 pick after a busy stretch that changed the look of their roster. The draft was scheduled to start at 6 p.m. CT on.
Minnesota had been linked to several players in recent weeks, with possible trade-down options including LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson, Ole Miss forward Cotie McMahon and UCLA guard Gianna Kneepkens. But the Lynx also added two veterans on Sunday, signing forwards Natasha Howard and Nia Coffey after re-signing guards Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride.
The moves matter because Minnesota already had work to do. Napheesa Collier remains the core player, but the Lynx lost Alanna Smith, Natisha Hiedeman and Jessica Shepard in free agency, while Bridget Carleton and Maria Kliundikova departed in the expansion draft. By average minutes per game, Minnesota needs to replace its fourth-, fifth-, sixth-, seventh- and 11th-most played players.
That is a lot to ask from one draft, even for a team picking near the top. The Lynx entered the draft after a condensed offseason, and most of the high-level free agents were already off the board, narrowing the pool of quick fixes.
The schedule now moves fast. Training camp opens Sunday, April 19, preseason action begins April 25 and the regular season is set to tip off May 8. For Minnesota, Monday’s pick is only the first checkpoint in a short runway to opening night.
