3 players who could have been on the Chicago Sky and LA Sparks if they hadn’t traded picks away

There is no way to describe the last couple of years after the Chicago Sky won a WNBA championship as anything other than disappointing. It was even worse for the LA Sparks, who haven’t won a championship since 2016. Honestly, there is no one to blame besides the general managers of these organizations for letting them unravel like this. These two franchises have given away some big picks, and it’s coming back to bite them.

Olivia Miles could have been on the Chicago Sky. Dominique Malonga could have been on the LA Sparks. These are only the picks they’ve traded away since 2022, so it could get even worse the further that someone digs. If you’re a fan who wants to feel pain, here are three players that could be on the team if the Sky and Sparks kept draft picks.

3 Players who would be on the Chicago Sky

Look at how much Olivia Miles can do around season vets on the Minnesota Lynx. Her scoring seems unimaginable if she went to a team like the Sky. Not even the whole way through Miles’ rookie season and this was a horrible trade. Hailey Van Lith only lasted one full season before the Sky waived her during preseason this year. Seeing the heights that Miles has reached in such a short time, this is a real sting for Sky fans.

It seems like all Chicago does is fumble great guards because they also could have had Sonia Citron and Veronica Burton. Both of them didn’t have as much instant success as Miles, but it didn’t take them too long. Citron is a key piece to Washington’s successful season and young core. Burton won the Most Improved Player Award last year and hasn’t let up while on the red-hot Valkyries. At least Chicago never needed a guard, but that’s wrong. Not having a stellar guard who isn’t 37-year-old Courtney Vandersloot has been a big gap in their lineups.

Sometimes a team trades away big picks, but there’s a big or just as good return. That’s not the case here at all. None of the players the Sky traded for are on their roster right now. To continue adding insult to injury, the Sky traded their 2027 first-round pick away and it looks like that would be the No. 3 pick. Right now, that’s projected as Madison Booker.

3 Players who could have been picked by the LA Sparks

It would be bonkers if a team could have Awa Fam and Dominique Malonga on the same team, as the Sparks could have. Except, oh wait, the Seattle Storm now have both players. While the Storm team hasn’t been good this season, these two players shine brightly, especially Malonga. Malonga is averaging almost a double-double in her second year with 17.2 points, nine rebounds and 1.7 steals per game.

A great role player that the Sparks could have added to their roster was Naz Hillmon. She’s been impactful on the Atlanta Dream’s season this year and won the Sixth Player of the Year award in 2025. She could have the presence that LA has needed the last couple of years in the paint, especially since Cameron Brink has been plagued by injuries. Instead, the Sparks severely missed out on her.

Similar to the Sky, everyone that they traded for isn’t even on the team. Sparks fans are a little luckier, as they are projected to have No. 5 and No. 7 picks in the 2027 draft, giving them an opportunity to really start rebuilding their future.

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