The Connecticut Sun is making its first move in WNBA free agency, but the future remains uncertain

The Connecticut Sun has officially fired 11-year veteran Alyssa Thomas, according to WNBA Transactions page. This means the five-time All-Star will be offered a one-year contract at the highest possible WNBA salary ($249,244) — and that she is unable to negotiate with other teams as a free agent this offseason. However, in the past, WNBA players have requested trades after receiving the starting assignment, so this move does not necessarily mean Thomas will remain in Connecticut.

Thomas is the sixth WNBA star to be drafted this winter, joining Gabby Williams (Seattle Storm), Kelsey Bloom (Las Vegas Aces), Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever), Brianna Stewart (New York Liberty) and Sato Sabally (Dallas Wings). .

Thomas was one of the top free agents on the market this winter — she was named to the First Team All-WNBA in each of the last two seasons, as she averaged 10.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game last year. She is also the league’s all-time leader in triple-doubles and one of its most impactful defenders.

The Sun finished last season with a 28-12 record, losing to the Minnesota Lynx in five games in the NBA semifinals. Four of the five starters — Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, Breonna Jones and Dijonae Carrington — were all free agents entering the offseason, with Carrington the only signee of the group.

In addition to drilling Thomas, The Sun offered Carrington a qualifying offer. Carrington, the 2024 WNBA Most Improved Player, was an integral part of the team’s success last season, typically guarding the opposing team’s top guards and averaging 12.7 points, 5 rebounds and 1.6 steals per night. The Sun also offered booked player Caitlin Bickle a qualifying offer.

It’s an uncertain time for the Connecticut Sun, which has hired Rachid Meziane, a French professional coach, as its new head coach following the departure of Stephanie White to the Indiana Fever. General manager Morgan Tuck told SB Nation last month that the team has an “open” approach to the offseason.

“We’ve had a lot of change over the last couple of months, and clearly there’s more change to come,” Tuck said. “But we’re a Connecticut team, and Connecticut is known to have really competitive teams and really good teams — so I don’t think we can shy away from that and the expectations of how good we need to be. But it takes time, and you have to have a change and get things ready.”

Will Alyssa Thomas return to Connecticut?

Whether the starting appointment means the Sun intends to keep together the big three of Thomas, Dewanna Bonner and Breonna Jones for another season remains to be seen. At 29 years old, Jones has never played for another organization — and she’s coming off a perfectly healthy season in which she averaged 13.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

Bonner, Thomas’ fiancé, 37, appears to have a lot of things in his locker and could be a high-level contributor on several championship teams. Bonner was named an All-Star for the sixth time in her career last season after averaging 15 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists per game. Unlike Thomas and Jones, she already has a WNBA championship under her belt.

Both Bonner and Jones may choose to go elsewhere this offseason, and Tuck admitted some free agency decisions are out of the Suns’ control.

“There are some players that we have more appeal to [with]“And in some places, they have to choose where they go,” Tuck said.

Thomas has spent her entire career with the Sun but has also expressed her displeasure with the team’s lack of amenities on numerous occasions; Connecticut is one of the few teams that does not have its own practice facility, nor is it planning to build one.

Sun practices at the Tribal Practice Facility, which is part of Mohegan Community Center and Government (Uncasville, Connecticut). The team does not have exclusive access to the facility, and last spring, in the playoffs, Thomas called the fact that the team had to share the field for a young child’s birthday “absolute disrespect.”

It is not clear whether Thomas’ issues with the team’s limited amenities will prevent her from wanting to remain with the organization. She may also want a change of pace after spending her entire WNBA career thus far in Uncasville. But it’s also possible that the team could try to bring him back with a similar core to last year. Guards Ty Harris and Marina Mabrey both return with the team next season.

“You just have to look at the big picture and see what makes the most sense,” Tuck said. “What will help you stay competitive, but also set us up for the future as well.”