WNBA season preview: One question for each team ahead of 2024 tip-off

In one of the most anticipated WNBA seasons yet, all 12 teams have the same ultimate goal — to be champions at the end of the season. But that journey looks different for each one.

The Las Vegas Aces still have a core that is capable of winning a third-straight title, while the Indiana Fever have not made playoffs since 2016 but now house the last two No. 1 picks in the WNBA draft. The 2021 WNBA-champion Chicago Sky are looking to rebuild after losing some of the last pieces of the trophy-winning roster, while the Seattle Storm have a new core that looks to bring championships back to the northwest.

As the WNBA prepares to tip off for its 27th season, here is one question each team must answer.

Atlanta Dream: How can Atlanta keep building after last year's playoff exit?

For the Atlanta Dream, even making the playoffs was a good standard to get back to after missing the previous four seasons. However, getting swept by the Dallas Wings was still less than ideal, and the Dream know they have work to do for the 2024 season.

Rhyne Howard has been stellar for the Dream in her first two seasons, averaging 16.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Allisha Gray is back for a second season after averaging 17.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists last year.

The talent on the roster continues to run deep with the addition of eight-time All-Star Tina Charles in the off-season, plus the continued growth of Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and sophomore Haley Jones.

Aerial Powers and Jordin Canada will bolster the playmaking and scoring for the Dream, replacing Aari McDonald and Danielle Robinson. There's no question the Dream have talent, but how they mesh will determine how well they can keep growing under head coach Tanisha Wright.

Chicago Sky: How do the new pieces fit into the Sky's rebuild?

While 2021 was just three years ago, a lot of the core from the Sky's championship roster is no longer with the team. It looked like it was going to be a reunion when Diamond DeShields returned to the sky but then Kahleah Copper, the 2021 WNBA Finals MVP, left for the Phoenix Mercury.

New faces aren't just on the court for Chicago as the changes include coaching after Teresa Weatherspoon was hired in October. And two of the newest faces are the players Chicago selected in the draft: Angel Reese, a 2023 NCAA champion with LSU, and Kamilla Cardoso, who joins Chicago after a national title of her own with South Carolina. Reese scored 13 points in each of her two pre-season games and nearly had a double-double in her debut. Cardoso had six points and four rebounds in her pre-season debut but will miss the first month of the season with a shoulder injury.

The addition of Isabelle Harrison will bring veteran experience to the Sky alongside DeShields, Dana Evans and Elizabeth Williams. But the decision to trade Copper showed Chicago is embracing the rebuild and will be focusing on fit and development this season.

Connecticut Sun: What needs to change to get the Sun over the hump?

The Connecticut Sun have been a title contender for the last couple of seasons, but are still looking for that final piece in the championship puzzle. They have made it to the second round of the WNBA playoffs each of the last seven years, playing in the WNBA finals twice in 2019 and 2022, but have never reached the summit.

Connecticut's core has remained the same for the last couple of seasons, with the exception of Jonquel Jones who departed for the New York Liberty last season. Otherwise, the returning core of Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones will put the Sun in a position to contend for a title.

Jones especially should provide a boost after missing most of last season with a ruptured Achilles. Other additions this year include Moriah Jefferson, Tiffany Mitchell and Rachel Banham. Jefferson averaged 10.5 points per game on 43.3 per cent shooting for Phoenix last season and Mitchell adds strong defensive ability on top of averaging 7.3 points per game on 40.4 per cent shooting. Banham was drafted by the Sun in 2016 and played with them for four seasons before playing her last four seasons with the Lynx.

Dallas Wings: How can Dallas keep building off last year's momentum?

After missing the playoffs in 2019 and 2020, the Dallas Wings made the post-season the following two seasons but lost in the first round. Then came a coaching change and the addition of Latricia Trammell helped the Wings soar to new heights in 2023.

The Wings swept the Dream in the first round before losing to eventual WNBA champion Las Vegas. But the momentum is on Dallas' side. Arike Ogunbowale, the Wings' 2023 leading scorer who averaged 21.2 points per game, returns, as does Natasha Howard and Teaira McCowan. Kalani Brown, Crystal Dangerfield and Veronica Burton also contribute on all areas of the floor, ranging from perimeter shooting, defence, physicality and athleticism.

Dallas selected Jacy Sheldon with the fifth overall pick in the draft, filling in a gap at the guard position. Maddy Siegrist, the third overall pick in 2023, will return for her sophomore season after spending time with Athletes Unlimited in the winter.

One hole in the lineup will be left by Satou Sabally, who injured her shoulder during February's Olympic qualifying tournament. Sabally was second on the Wings in scoring last season, averaging 18.6 points per game.

Indiana Fever: Will the younger players be able to orchestrate a playoff berth?

With the potential to be the most-watched team this season, the Indiana Fever have a big task at hand in front of all their new fans — become a playoff contender. The Fever have not qualified for the playoffs since 2016 and did not win their lone game during that year.

Of course, all eyes are on Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft this year, but the Fever also have Aliyah Boston, the reigning Rookie of the Year and No. 1 pick in 2023, Grace Berger, the seventh-overall pick in last year's draft, and NaLyssa Smith, the No. 2 pick in 2022, to round out the youth on their squad.

Katie Lou Samuelson arrives in Indiana after playing last season in Los Angeles, adding defensive strength and veteran talent alongside Kelsey Mitchell, one of the Fever's best scorers, and Erica Wheeler, who is a steady playmaker. Last year, eight first- or second-year players suited up for the Fever, making veterans the odd ones out.

The Fever finished 10th in 2023, two spots out of the playoffs, but were not eliminated until the final weeks of the season. Development and progress are the keys for Indiana but this year a playoff berth is the expectation.

Las Vegas Aces: Is a three-peat in the cards?

The Houston Comets are the only franchise in WNBA history with three consecutive championships but the Las Vegas Aces can join them in 2024.

It all starts with A'ja Wilson, who looks to become the fourth three-time MVP in league history. Last season she won her second-straight defensive player of the year award while also being named Finals MVP — and she made sure the applause was louder than the disrespect she felt from the season MVP voting.

Even though Candace Parker announced she has retired, "Point Gawd" Chelsea Gray returns as one of the best playmakers in the WNBA, with elite court vision and passing. Kiah Stokes is a big body who is one of the best rebounders and shot-blockers in the league.

Two other key returning pieces are Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum. Young gets better every year she plays in the WNBA while Plum is a prolific scorer who can find the net from long range. Alysha Clark is another player who can defend anyone on the court, while Sydney Colson is a player who can cause problems offensively.

The roster won't be together forever with expansion drafts looming, but for at least one more season the Aces have the parts needed to take this team to the WNBA Finals and lift the trophy for a third-straight year. Many players have taken below-market contracts to keep the team together, showing their commitment to each other and winning.

Los Angeles Sparks: Do new faces mean a new era of Sparks basketball?

The Los Angeles Sparks look a lot different from the team that went to back-to-back finals in 2016 and '17. When Candace Parker walked away to play for the Sky in 2021 the Sparks knew they still had Nneka Ogwumike on their side. But Ogwumike left for the Storm this winter, officially closing the door on an era in Sparks history.

The Sparks have not seen the old levels of success in a few years — they haven't made the playoffs since 2020 and are on their third head coach since 2022.

But the upside to the recent down years meant that the Sparks could select Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson with the No. 2 and No. 4 picks in the WNBA Draft. Both are expected to make big impacts in their rookie seasons for Los Angeles.

Brink and Jackson add two bigs to a guard-heavy roster, headlined by Lexie Brown and Zia Cooke. Brown missed most of the 2023 season due to illness, but in the 12 games she did play she averaged a career-high 12.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, shooting 48.6 per cent from the field and 41.5 per cent from three-point range. Cooke is entering just her second season in the WNBA, and while her rookie year saw fluctuating playing time, she will be expected to take on a bigger role this season.

One other notable addition for Canadian hoops fans is Kia Nurse, who was traded to the Sparks from Seattle to provide some depth scoring.

Minnesota Lynx: What does the post-dynasty era look like for the Lynx?

Once a dynasty in the 2010s, the Minnesota Lynx officially entered a new era when Sylvia Fowles retired after missing the playoffs in 2022. Last season, the Lynx looked to be in danger when they started the season 0-6 but instead, they kept pushing to earn a playoff spot and took the Sun to a winner-take-all Game 3 in the opening round.

The Lynx are led by Napheesa Collier but Canadian Bridget Carleton will be a shooting threat and Kayla McBride, who signed a two-year extension with the Lynx, is coming off her highest scoring season with the team.

Diamond Miller and Dorka Juhász, both coming into their sophomore seasons, showed potential as rookies that the Lynx hope to build off of. Add in veterans Natisha Hiedeman and Courtney Williams, and first-round draft pick Alissa Pili, and the Lynx have a roster capable of going on a run.

New York Liberty: What will push the Liberty to the next level?

When Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot all took their talents to New York last season, everyone expected them to be a title contender. Their start was a bit rocky but they ultimately clicked into place and advanced to the final before falling to eventual champion Las Vegas.

Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and Sabrina Ionescu round out the starting five, showcasing some of the best players in the league on one single roster. Stewart and Jones have combined for three MVP awards, Vandersloot is one of the best passers in the game, Laney-Hamilton is a reliable defender and Ionescu is one of the league's best three-point shooters.

But the Game 4 loss against the Aces still looms over the Liberty and head coach Sandy Brondello will use that as fuel this season.

The Liberty will miss the scoring from Marine Johannés who will not return to the team until after the Olympics, if at all. New York hopes to strengthen their team with Marquesha Davis, the 11th overall pick who averaged 12.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals during her two years at Ole Miss, and Leonie Fiebich, who is a versatile scorer.

Phoenix Mercury: Can off-season additions breathe life back into the Mercury?

The Mercury have had some fantastic off-season additions in Natasha Cloud and Kahleah Copper, plus Nate Tibbetts as their new head coach. But they also lost Skylar Diggins-Smith, Brianna Turner and Michaela Onyenwere among others, necessary changes after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2012.

The new additions will complement the existing core of Brittney Griner, who averaged 17.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game last season, and Diana Taurasi, who still averaged 16.0 points per game on 40.3 per cent shooting in Year 19.

Cloud set career highs in minutes, points and rebounds per game in her final season with the Mystics, with her 6.2 assists per game ranking fifth in the league. She is a solid two-way player and one of the league's best perimeter defenders. Copper is coming off a season where she averaged a career-best 18.7 points while shooting 44.8 per cent from the field and 40.4 per cent from three-point range.

Bec Allen also joins the Mercury this season after averaging 6.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in her one season with the Sun.

Seattle Storm: Can the new core four bring success back to Seattle?

When Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird left the Seattle Storm, fans knew it was the end of an era. But what an era it was. The Storm won four titles from 2004 to 2020, took home the first-ever Commissioner's Cup, and made the playoffs for seven straight seasons after Steward arrived in 2016.

While the Storm still had the "Gold Mamba" Jewell Loyd on their roster last year, averaging 24.7 points per game, they did not qualify for the playoffs and are now turning their attention to developing their young players and building for the future.

Mercedes Russell looks to have found her form again after playing in Australia with the Southside Flyers, averaging 14.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, and rookie Nika Mühl already showed what she can do off the ball with her lockdown defence on Caitlin Clark during the NCAA tournament.

The Storm did add some veteran talent this off-season with Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith, who join Loyd and the returning Ezi Magbegor to form a new core four. Even with one down season, expectations are still high for the Storm under head coach Noelle Quinn.

Washington Mystics: What will the new-look Mystics bring to the table?

The roster for the Mystics looks different this year as leader Natasha Cloud left for Phoenix, and two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne announced she would be taking time away from basketball after multiple back injuries have limited her in recent seasons.

Veteran guard Ariel Atkins returns, as does Brittney Sykes, who ranked second behind Delle Donne in scoring with 15.9 points per game last season. Shakira Austin returns after averaging 10 points per game, while also bringing her elite defence to the table.

Other core players returning to the Mystics are Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and Myisha Hines-Allen. Stefanie Dolson, who began her career with the Mystics, is now back on the squad for the first time since 2016 and Karlie Samuelson joins after coming off a season where she averaged a career-high 7.7 points per game.

The newest face for the Mystics is Canadian Aaliyah Edwards, who they drafted with the sixth overall pick. The team hopes to play her alongside Austin, creating a hard-to-beat athletic post duo. The Mystics look different than previous years, but their returning core and new faces all have something to prove.