In a stunner on the opening day of 2026 WNBA free agency, the Chicago Sky have traded Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for multiple first-round picks. The Sky will receive the Dream’s 2027 and 2028 first-round picks, while the Dream will also get swap rights to the Sky’s 2028 second-round pick.
Reese, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, was named an All-Star in each of her first two seasons while setting rebounding records. She ended last season on poor terms with the Sky, however, and a breakup always seemed to be in the cards even though she told reporters in December that she planned to return to Chicago.
“Angel has achieved many record-breaking milestones in her first two years in the WNBA and has been a competitive force for the Sky,” Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca said in a statement. “We are thankful for her many important contributions to this league and this game, and we know she will continue to have a big impact on the court and beyond. We wish Angel all the best in her next chapter.”
Late last season, Reese came under significant criticism for an interview she gave to the Chicago Tribune in which she called out the front office, coaching staff and teammates. She eventually apologized, but was suspended for one half of a game. Between that suspension, a league suspension for accumulating too many technical fouls and a back injury, Reese missed the team’s final four games.
“I’m not settling for the same shit we did this year,” Reese said in September. “We have to get good players. We have to get great players. That’s a non-negotiable for me.
“I’m willing and wanting to play with the best. And however I can help to get the best here, that’s what I’m going to do this offseason. So it’s going to be very, very important this offseason to make sure we attract the best of the best because we can’t settle for what we have this year.”
Now that the first major move of the offseason is complete, let’s grade the trade for both teams:
Dream grade: A
- Atlanta receives: Angel Reese, 2028 second-round pick swap
The offseason has only just begun, and the Dream are already one of the big winners.
After making a number of big moves last winter, including signing Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner — both now free agents — and hiring Karl Smesko as their new coach, the Dream won a franchise-record 30 games and finished second in the league in offensive rating (108.2), defensive rating (98.9) and net rating (plus-9.3).
They were upset in the first round of the playoffs by the Indiana Fever, however, and that defeat showed that they needed a bit more talent to move from great regular-season team to true playoff contender.
Enter Reese.
While Reese has her weaknesses — interior finishing and turnovers, primarily — she is one of the most exciting young players in the league and made significant strides last season, when she averaged 14.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals and once again led the league in rebounding.
It remains to be seen what the Dream will do in free agency, particularly in the frontcourt, where it’s hard to imagine both Jones and Griner will be back. Whatever happens, though, the Dream now have a core of Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Reese and Te-Hina Paopao, and they will add the No. 13 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
That’s an extremely dynamic group that is going to dominate on the glass and will be a nightmare for other teams to play against. Howard is coming off an All-Defensive Second Team honor and both Gray and Reese were borderline All-Defensive candidates last season.
Plus, best of all for the Dream, they didn’t have to give up much to get Reese. Barring some sort of disaster, they’re going to be a playoff team for the forseeable future, so their 2027 and 2028 firsts will likely be in the teens. If that does end up being the case, that’s nothing for a player of Reese’s caliber.
Sky grade: F
- Chicago receives: Dream’s 2027 first-round pick, Dream’s 2028 first-round pick
What do you even say about the Sky at this point? General manager Jeff Pagliocca’s process continues to be a disaster.
Ahead of last season, the Sky traded the No. 3 pick (Sonia Citron), a 2027 first-round pick swap and a 2027 second-round pick to the Washington Mystics in exchange for Ariel Atkins. Prior to the expansion draft, the Sky sent the No. 17 overall pick in 2026 to the Portland Fire for the No. 21 pick in 2026, and the No. 26 pick in 2026 to the Toronto Tempo in exchange for both expansion teams passing on their unprotected players. Now, they’ve sent Angel Reese and a 2028 second-round swap to the Dream for first-round picks in 2027 and 2028.
Let’s recap:
- Out: Angel Reese, Sonia Citron, 2027 first-round swap, No. 17 in 2026, No. 26 in 2026, 2027 second-round pick, 2028 second-round pick
- In: Ariel Atkins, No. 26 in 2026, Dream’s first-round pick in 2027, Dream’s first-round pick in 2028
That’s absurd. Especially considering that by trading Reese, it greatly increases the odds that they’re going to be worse than the Mystics this season and will have to swap first-round picks. By the way, Atkins is an unrestricted free agent and they don’t have the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft because they owed the Minnesota Lynx a first-round swap in the original deal to acquire Reese prior to the 2024 draft.
The Sky are a combined 23-61 in the last two seasons, and Kamilla Cardoso is the only productive young player they have to show for it. They’ll add the No. 5 pick in this year’s draft, which will help, and 2025 first-round pick Ajša Sivka should come over this season, but she’s likely just a role player. Maybe Hailey Van Lith or Maddy Westbeld improve, but neither showed much during their rookie seasons. Unless the Dream fall apart unexpectedly, the firsts they got from Atlanta in 2027 and 2028 are unlikely to provide impact players. Plus, the Sky have not been a free-agent destination.
The future looks bleak in Chicago, and there’s no reason to trust this front office to turn things around. Not only because of the moves they’ve made, but the way they handled the Reese saga late last season.
Reese was in the wrong when she made her comments to the Tribune. Even though she had some valid points, publicly criticizing everyone in the organization, including teammates, is never the right move. But the organization should have handled that situation in-house.
Releasing an over-the-top statement saying the franchise “values the safety, respect, and well-being of every player,” then suspending Reese for one half of a game was bizarre, especially while she was paying through a back injury, and seems to have permanently damaged the relationship with their best and most important player.
Now, just a few months later, the Sky have essentially dumped Reese for a few lottery tickets in the draft and dealt their own rebuild a significant blow.
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