Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Five WNBA players currently trapped on teams where they can't reach their full potential need a trade to revive their careers.
- Each case involves either injury setbacks, depth issues, or roster mismatches that have left talented athletes sidelined or underutilized.
- The trade deadline offers a chance for these players to land in situations where they can contribute immediately and prove their value.
We're now deep enough into the WNBA season that we have a good read on every team and player. We know who's good, who's bad and, for the purposes of what you're going to read right now, who really, really needs a change of scenery if they're going to be successful moving forward.
Whether it's players who are languishing on bad teams or young players who need a path to playing time, these five names should hope they're on the move at the trade deadline.
Jacy Sheldon, Chicago Sky
The Chicago Sky traded a first-round pick for Jacy Sheldon this offseason in a move that felt baffling at the time. Now that she's been replaced in the starting lineup and the Sky have Courtney Vandersloot back, it seems like Chicago should try to recoup something of value. The team's going nowhere this season, so why hold on to Sheldon?
She could be very useful as the third guard on a contender. Sheldon's a hard-nosed player who can knock down open shots, but she's kind of miscast on this current roster. I mean, just look at the team's last game: Vandersloot played 15 minutes as the third guard, forcing Sheldon even deeper in the rotation.
She's better than the role that the Sky currently have her in. Imagine her coming off the bench in Minnesota, or even as an off-ball option in Indiana when one of Kelsey Mitchell or Caitlin Clark is off the floor.
Jordan Horston, Seattle Storm
There's a chance that I might be the last remaining person who still believes Jordan Horston can be a good professional basketball player. I loved her upside coming out of Tennessee, but her momentum stalled out after an ACL tear cost her the 2025 season. She's missed some time this year with a foot injury as well.
Despite the Storm being one of the league's worst teams, Horston is plaing a career-low 19.8 minutes per game, and her efficiency has crashed. In 2024, she came within a percentage point of shooting 50 percent from the floor; this year, she's way down at 32.5 percent. Her shotmaking has just evaporated.
And maybe it won't ever come back. That's definitely a possibility: That injury has taken away enough of her athleticism that she's just not going to be the player she was in 2024. However, there has to be a team willing to try. Horston would be a good addition to the Connecticut Sun, where she'd still be on a bad team but should be able to get more consistent minutes. A contender shouldn't take a chance on her, but a rebuilding team could take her on as a reclamation project.
Rebekah Gardner, New York Liberty
Gardner's found herself a victim of New York's depth. The team has a plethora of wing options, and that's led to limited minutes for Gardner, who hasn't surpassed the 20-minute mark since May 12.
In theory, Gardner is a strong off-ball shooting threat, though the career 40 percent shooter from 3-point range is only shooting 28.6 percent from deep so far this season. Her steal numbers are also down.
Would more playing time help Gardner bounce back? Maybe, and there are some contending teams that could probably use additional wing depth. Atlanta needs another shooter, though they might balk at her current numbers. What about Washington, though? The Mystics look like the favorites to land the No. 8 seed right now but have struggled to find shooting at times. Gardner as the first wing off the bench could do well there, and if the shooting doesn't magically reappear, it's not like Washington loses out on title hopes or anything.
Brianna Turner, Las Vegas Aces
The Las Vegas Aces did the whole "have a center who is an offensive non-factor" thing for years with Kiah Stokes, and after she left, the team decided to keep it going by signing Brianna Turner. But because NaLyssa Smith has continued to be an effective rim-runner next to A'ja Wilson, Turner simply hasn't been able to carve out a role in this rotation.
I still maintain that she's one of the league's better interior defenders. In fact, there was a time, earlier in her career, where I thought she had a chance to be a multi-time Defensive Player of the Year. But her lack of offensive production has made it hard to get her on the floor enough for her to make the overall impact needed to truly contend for that award.
Could Turner be an option in Dallas? Jessica Shepard gives the Wings absolutley nothing as far as rim protection goes, but she does so much offensively that you can afford to pair her with a player like Turner for stretches without it destroying the offense.
Ta'Niya Latson, Los Angeles Sparks
Ta'Niya Latson's path to WNBA success is fairly narrow. She's an explosive player who showed in college that she could be an elite scorer, but there are questions about her jump shooting, size and defense. She basically needs to be a spark plug off the bench, but the Los Angeles Sparks — pun not intended here — aren't even letting her be that with Kelsey Plum out. Which means it's hard to see much of a future for Latson there.
Dealing Latson to a rebuilding team could do a lot for her, as it would give her a chance to get out on the floor and really show she can compete. She's not going to get better without reps.
Phoenix could be interesting, especially with Jovana Nogic suddenly done for the year for personal reasons. The Mercury don't have much in the way of bench creation, and Latson would be able to provide them with some ball-handling for when Alyssa Thomas is off the floor.
Add us as a preferred source on Google