With the WNBA offseason comes change, but sometimes, that change can shake a franchise’s future. If the Washington Mystics don’t figure things out quickly, their situation will turn into a dumpster fire, and that is not where they want to be.
The 2023 season was not very kind to Washington. The franchise was plagued by many injuries, including significant injuries to Elena Delle Donne, Kristi Toliver and Shakira Austin. Still, Washington was riding confidently into the postseason, supported by a gutsy last-second heave from Brittney Sykes to beat the New York Liberty during their last regular season game — only to lose to New York in the first round just days later.
In December 2023, Kristi Toliver retired, opting to become the associate head coach for the Phoenix Mercury. Owner Ted Leonsis also unveiled plans that could potentially uproot the Mystics to Capital One Arena, leaving them vulnerable to poor attendance records. But the pain doesn’t stop there.
This month, there were franchise-shifting moves. Natasha Cloud signed with the Mercury (where Toliver is now on staff), and on February 7, news broke that Elena Delle Donne is stepping away from basketball.
Breaking: Two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne has decided to take some time away from basketball and does not intend to sign the one-year super max offer from the Mystics, sources told @ramonashelburne. pic.twitter.com/0Wdf4zLtly
— ESPN (@espn) February 8, 2024
As we’ve seen with the Chicago Sky this offseason, things can change very quickly. Like Chicago, it’s hard to understand where Washington is going, and they almost certainly look like a dumpster fire waiting to happen. Perhaps these are the first steps to rebuilding and a sign of things to come. But if they aren’t, fans are not going to be happy with the shaky foundation ownership has seemingly created.
Well, at least Washington fans have the Wizards to fall back on — oh no!
