When free agency opened earlier this month, it didn't take long for contenders to make their moves. The Connecticut Sun re-signed reigning MVP Jonquel Jones; the Minnesota Lynx got Sylvia Fowles back for one final season and added Angel McCoughtry; the Las Vegas Aces secured A'ja Wilson's signature; the Seattle Storm returned all of their star-studded big three.
One team missing from the action was the Los Angeles Sparks. After back-to-back trips to the Finals in 2016 and 2017, the Sparks have slowly faded from those ranks. So much so that last season, after the departures of Candace Parker and Chelsea Gray, they missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade, and just the fifth time in franchise history. And with their first-round pick owed to the Dallas Wings via a previous trade, there is no help coming in the lottery.
That made free agency and this offseason vital to the Sparks' chances of getting back into the playoff picture, and possibly even doing more than that. So when they were silent through the first few days, it was a bit confusing. They have sprung to life since then, however, with a number of high-upside moves that can help them both now and in the future, but also carry some risk.
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Signing Liz Cambage
Late on Saturday night, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported that Liz Cambage has made a verbal commitment to the Sparks. Details of the contract -- money and length -- are still unclear, but it seems that Cambage, one of the most talented players hitting free agency this winter, is on her way to Los Angeles.
The Sparks were one of Cambage's preferred trade destinations back in 2019, so this move does not come as a huge surprise. It was not a guarantee, though, especially after Cambage's comments earlier in free agency criticizing the WNBA's pay structure and travel accommodations led some to wonder if she would sit out the season. Ultimately, she has decided to play. The questions now are how does she help the Sparks, and can they get the best out of her?
With her size and skill, Cambage is capable of being one of the most dominant players in the world. She still holds the WNBA record for points in a game with 53, won the scoring title in 2018 and has been an All-Star in four of her five seasons in the league. There's no question she'll be a huge boost to a Sparks offense that finished last in the league in 2021 (92.3 offensive rating) and has just one returning double-figure scorer (Nneka Ogwumike).
In particular, she'll give them a much-needed paint presence. While there were all sorts of reasons for the Sparks' struggles on offense, perhaps the biggest was that they simply didn't create enough easy baskets. They were 10th in the league in points in the paint (30.9 per game) and 10th in the league in field goal percentage (56.4) inside five feet. Cambage can solve those problems by herself. She shoots 65.2 percent inside that distance and causes matchup nightmares for opponents, who have to decide between a mismatch in the post or sending a double team.
Cambage brings such a high level of talent and production that she's going to make the Sparks better, but to what extent remains to be seen. Her frequent (valid) denunciations of how the league operates and her personal struggles related to mental health give the sense that she's never truly been comfortable in the WNBA. To that point, it's noteworthy that this is the first time in her career that she's been an unrestricted free agent and chosen where she wants to play.
There's always a slight risk when you add a player who has bounced around the league and has a history of being discontented. At the same time, if Cambage is back to her best, there's a chance this winds up being the best addition any team makes this offseason.
Trading for Chennedy Carter
Getting an agreement from Cambage is not the only high-profile move the Sparks have made this winter. They also completed a blockbuster trade with the Atlanta Dream, sending Erica Wheeler, a 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 first-round pick in exchange for Chennedy Carter and the rights to Li Yueru.
Carter, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft, had an excellent rookie season in the bubble. Though an ankle injury limited her to 16 games, she averaged 17.4 points and 3.4 assists on 47.3 percent shooting from the field and 37.5 percent from 3-point land, marks which earned her a spot on the All-Rookie Team.
Her sophomore season could not have gone worse. Carter shot 11.1 percent from 3-point land, was involved in an altercation on the bench during a loss to the Las Vegas Aces on July 4 and was eventually suspended for the remainder of the season due to conduct detrimental to the team. New head coach Tanisha Wright and new general manager Dan Padover, who were hired earlier this winter, decided Carter would not be a part of their future.
It's easy to see the appeal for the Sparks. Carter is a more talented player with a much higher ceiling than Wheeler and is also seven years younger. While her 3-point shooting may not be quite as good as it was her rookie season, it's also not as bad as it was last season. More importantly, she's lightning-quick, which allows her to get into the paint at will. Her decision making will need to improve, but she's already an elite finisher for someone her size. Her ability to break down the defense and get easy baskets for herself and teammates will make the Sparks a more dangerous team.
But, just like the Cambage deal, there's a bit of risk involved. Getting sent home for the season for conduct detrimental to the team is never a good sign, and organizations -- even ones as dysfunctional as the Dream -- don't part ways with young players as talented as Carter for no reason. She has the talent to be the Sparks' point guard of the future, but time will tell if she can get back on track in L.A.
Trading for Katie Lou Samuelson and signing Jordin Canada
The Sparks also made a few other moves, including trading Gabby Williams to the Seattle Storm for Katie Lou Samuelson and a 2022 first-round pick, and signing free-agent guard Jordin Canada. Neither comes with as much upside as the Cambage and Carter additions, but they also carry little risk.
Trading Williams (who never ended up playing for the Sparks) for Samuelson is a clear sign of the Sparks' desire to improve their offense. Samuelson is coming off the best season of her young career, and though her numbers aren't eye-popping -- seven points and 3.5 rebounds per game on 35.7 percent from 3-point land -- she's a big wing who can play multiple positions and space the floor around Cambage and Carter.
Canada also comes from the Storm and is by far the most defensive-minded addition the Sparks made. In fact, she's really not a threat to score at all. What she can do is come off the bench to run the second unit and play extremely hard on the defensive end. In 2019, she made the All-Defensive First Team and led the league in steals at 2.3 per game. She should fit right in on a Sparks team that finished with the third-best defensive rating (97.5) last season.
Overall outlook
There's no question the Sparks are more talented than they were a few weeks ago. They added an All-WNBA-caliber center, a young point guard with tremendous potential and two solid role players. At the very least, they should have a much more dynamic offense and get back into the playoff picture.
Beyond that, we'll see. If Nneka Ogwumike and Kristi Toliver stay healthy, and Cambage and Carter play up to expectations, this could be a rather dangerous team. But there are no guarantees on any of those fronts, and they've made some sacrifices on the defensive end. Plus, there are a number of contenders going all-out this season that will be difficult to overtake.
There is one thing that's certain, however: The Sparks are going to be must-watch TV this season.
WNBA free agency: Sparks return to relevance with high-upside additions of Liz Cambage and Chennedy Carter - CBS Sports
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