The Chicago Sky made a puzzling move on Wednesday ahead of Friday’s expansion draft, striking deals with the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo to trade WNBA draft picks in exchange for both teams agreeing not to select any of their players.
The picks Chicago gave up carried relatively low value, but Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca’s decision still confused fans, especially since the Sky did not boast a strong roster in 2025 after finishing with a 10-34 record, tied with the Dallas Wings for the worst in the league.
Chicago traded its No. 17 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft to Portland, receiving the No. 21 pick in return, in exchange for the Fire agreeing not to select any players from the Sky’s unprotected list in the expansion draft.
In a separate deal, the Sky also sent the No. 26 pick (via New York) in the 2026 WNBA Draft to Toronto so that the Tempo would likewise refrain from selecting any player from Chicago’s unprotected list.
The moves left fans baffled. Here are some of their reactions:
Altogether, the Sky now hold the following picks in the 2026 WNBA Draft: No. 5 overall (first round), No. 21 overall (second round and No. 32 overall (third round).
Chicago Sky 2025 Season Recap
The Chicago Sky endured a difficult 2025 campaign, finishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, and are now entering the offseason focused on rebuilding their roster around the 2026 WNBA draft.
Second-year forward Angel Reese remained the centerpiece for Chicago, leading the team with 14.6 points and 12.6 rebounds per game to establish herself as one of the league’s elite rebounders.
However, the Sky’s backcourt struggled with both scoring and efficiency. As a unit, Chicago averaged 75.8 points on 42.5% shooting and ranked 13th in scoring, often falling behind against deeper and more explosive offenses.
Reese’s long-term future in Chicago has become uncertain after she voiced frustration with the team and her teammates in a Chicago Tribune interview following another disappointing season.
“I’d like to be here for my career, but if things don’t pan out, obviously I might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best for me,” Reese said. “But while I am here, I’m going to try to stay open-minded about what I have here and maximize that as much as I can.”
Front Office Sports reported that Reese’s comments did not sit well with her teammates, raising concerns about her standing within the organization.
For the second consecutive season, she was unable to finish the campaign due to a suspension combined with what the Sky described as a “back injury.”
Without Reese in the lineup, the Sky struggled to a 1-13 record. They finished 10-34 overall, which is the second-worst record in franchise history, ahead of only their inaugural 5-29 season.
It also marked their second straight year missing the playoffs after a stretch of five consecutive appearances from 2019 to 2023 that included a championship.
