The WNBA’s Seattle Storm have shocked the league this week with a sudden five-game shedding streak that has taken them from a top-5 crew to 1 preventing for a playoff spot. For a crew with a lot expertise on paper, it has been stunning to see them unable to win video games, and even earlier than the final week and a half, the Storm have been cold and hot all season.
They made some adjustments final week forward of the WNBA Commerce Deadline on Aug. 7 to handle their points. In a commerce with the Washington Mystics, they acquired WNBA All-Star Brittney Sykes in alternate for Alysha Clark, Zia Cooke, and their 2026 first-round draft choose.
Days after the commerce was finalized, reviews at the moment are popping out that Clark was the one to request the commerce out of Seattle.
First, the 38-year-old veteran mentioned that issues had not gone to plan in her return to the franchise she received a championship with in 2020, and that she needed to take management of her profession.
Clark additionally informed Mystics’ beat author Kareem Copeland that she appreciated the cooperation from the Storm and needed to ensure she does what makes her joyful and comfy at this stage of her profession. She has simply arrived in Washington and is settling in.
But, the second a part of the information that was damaged this afternoon raises much more questions. One other reporter, this time one from Seattle, reported that a number of sources say that there have been “verbal altercations” within the Storm locker room.
That is sounding barely just like reviews from Seattle within the 2024 WNBA season. Altercations within the locker room, disputes between personnel, and in the end the commerce request from Jewell Loyd. Are the identical issues developing once more? Or have the Storm simply caught two unfortunate, unrelated breaks in a row?
The Seattle Storm have crashed down into eighth place league-wide, after teetering across the 4/5 spot for weeks. The standings are so shut — with solely 2 video games separating eighth place from fifth place — so it’s nonetheless potential for the Storm to reclaim a spot increased within the standings. Particularly with a number of the damage luck different groups have had not too long ago.
Seattle may have two essential video games this week towards the Atlanta Dream, one at house after which one in Vancouver, British Columbia. With Atlanta doing so nicely, Seattle profitable one or each of those video games would do wonders for his or her standing.
If the streak doesn’t get snapped quickly, they might threat shedding home-court benefit or worse, their playoff spot. However there’s additionally the truth that if these off-court developments proceed, additionally they could have greater issues on their arms.
