The Mystics have found something special with the team's two healthy first round picks.
Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen have already asserted themselves as top contenders not only for the leauge's All-Rookie teams, but as serious threats to Paige Bueckers in the Rookie of the Year race.
Unfortunately, their ascension has meant that another top draft pick for the team is currently searching for her role on the team. With the forward spots locked down by the two rookies, where does that leave Aaliyah Edwards?
Aaliyah Edwards's fit with the current Mystics roster
After missing Washington's first four games, Edwards has come off the bench in her first two contests of the season, averaging just 17.2 minutes per game.
That should increase as Edwards, who was dealing with a low back contusion at the start of the year, works back to full strength, but her chance of getting the kind of workload that her play at the end of 2024 suggested she would get in 2025 are diminished because of the rest of the team.
Here's the problem: Edwards is at her best as a 4, but Iriafen has been a revelation this season, averaging 14.3 points per game on 51.6 percent shooting. She's also grabbing 10.7 rebounds per contest. Washington needs Iriafen on the floor as much as possible.
In theory, Edwards could see time at the 3, but that would likely pose some issues with spacing, and Citron's shooting has been a huge help there. Citron could slide to the two, but the backcourt combination of Brittney Sykes and Jade Melbourne deserves to get as many minutes together as possible.
She could theoretically replace Stef Dolson at center, but that role should belong to Shakira Austin, who also missed four games with injury and is currently coming off the bench. Washington already has a plus-19.05 net rating in Austin's 33 minutes this season, so moving her into the starting five seems like a better move than putting Edwards in.
That leaves Edwards fighting for backup minutes. At some point, the team needs to embrace youth and give Dolson fewer minutes, which would open up more chances for Edwards to play. But Edwards also needs to improve on her efficiency, as her shot has been off to start the year.
Edwards is shooting just 37.5 percent so far this season and is just 2-for-6 in the restricted area. Against the Fever, she was 1-for-5 from the floor with two of her attempts getting blocked.
Maybe more concerning is that Edwards' on/off splits last year showed the Mystics to be a significantly better team when she was off the floor, with the team posting a minus-8.04 net rating with her on court and minus-1.00 with her off court. She needs to prove she can contribute to winning basketball, especially with the Mystics sitting a surprising 3-3 on the year.
There's definitely some upside still with Edwards, as she's a solid rebounder and shot blocker, but the level of offense that Iriafen has immediately brought to the Mystics has squeezed Edwards out. She'll get more playing time at some point, but her path to starting for the team might already have vanished.