What’s Next For Los Angeles Sparks? | WNBA Offseason Preview

[@nr14989]

I really hope Sparks land Paige in next year draft and i feel that LA Sparks will have a promising and exciting young core with Paige, Brink, Rikea, Rae and Hamby (Vet)

[@heavyhitter5538]

Golden State Valkyries will more likely get her.

[@don7109]

Those are all the players I want to return next season. Also odyssey sims

[@KentaThusen]

The starting front court for LA is set with Hamby, Brink, and Jackson. All they need is better guards. Pray to the basketball lottery gods for Paige Bueckers.

[@123slasher.16]

Both Brink and Jackson need position changes for this team to succeed. (1) Brink is too light in the a . to be playing center. (2) Jackson should be moved to a area to use her size advantage Next year as of right now, this is what they should consider. Starting PF-Hamby, her backup is Talbot. Starting SF-Brink, use her offensive skills, her backup is Rae Burell Starting Center-Stevens, her backup is Li Urely Starting SG-Jackson, sign a perimeter shooter. Starting PG-hopefully they draft Paige B. The backup should be Zia Cooke. Hire as the new coach either Katie Smith from Minnesota or Kristi Toliver from Phoenix.

[@sarsaparilla5933]

what's next? the draft lottery, paige bueckers, and 2025 playoffs. congratulations, sparks.

[@ladyvolshoopsfan]

If the Sparks get Paige Bueckers on top of the youthful talent they have now and they can do one of the quickest turnarounds in 2025.

[@soccergoal4090]

Great video. I would like to see break down with the Dallas Wings and Chicago Sky as well.

[@HunterCruse14]

Coming soon!

[@noname-xz2ns]

Just asking, are you gonna do a Bobby Marks' style format that releases their offseason review as soon as they are eliminated in the playoffs?

[@mycroft1225]

Cam and Kiki can definitely play together, they’re not as offensively redundant as Reese and Cardoso. If they do end up with the second pick, trading Hamby should be the move. Get depth and then see if someone like Sloot is willing to play in LA

[@iiamjayd8318]

lmao sloot??? absolutely not. shes washed. but i agree to trade hamby for a pg, but need a pg that can shoot

[@akariharris9024]

it’s be dope to see paige, jackson, hamby & brink together 😮‍💨 paige already give me LA vibes, seeing her pop out to all the events lol

[@SinisterAristotle]

Am I crazy for thinking that Rickea Jackson will be their best player next year (with someone like Paige or even Kiki coming in as rookies and rookies typically needing time to get used to the WNBA)? You can see from Curt Miller press conferences, Sparks billboards / ad materials, and her increased shot attempts towards the end of the year that they’re really pushing Jackson as the number #1 option. Also, seeing what Miller has said about how much she’s improved since training camp and watching her YT high school videos where she said she would do 3x workouts per day and even practice on Christmas Day at 7 am tells me she’s going to work hard to improve. That she’s had one year of experience so she knows exactly what areas to improve rather than guess will help a lot. I’m bullish on Jackson getting even better and more aggressive. I think she will be one of their players that gets to the all star game. I think Hamby will be a decent player, but I can see her taking a more of limited role still scoring around 10-15 ppg but focusing more on rebounding and defense-you could see this post Olympic break where it seemed like pre-break their entire offense seemed designed to make Hamby an MVP candidate. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m not too bullish for Cameron Brink ever becoming their best or 2nd best player after watching her in college and in every Sparks game before she got injured. To me, she’s more like a better version of a Kia Stokes type player who can become your defensive anchor but don’t really see her averaging more than 10 ppg, especially if you have Jackson and either Paige or Kiki on that team. I remember watching that NCAA tournament and thinking Kiki was their best player, at least certainly on offense.

[@vonte16]

where do you think Brink ultimately lands position wise in her prime, 4 or 5?

[@patricklarson7564]

In my opinion, There is no wayyyy Sonia Citron is going to go in the second round. She will definitely be in the top 10. If she drops to 7, Fever should put all their eggs in that basket.

[@nr14989]

I think Fever is looking at Malonga, an athletic big to form twin towers with AB and a rotation of Temi. Malonga can also stretch the floor of her perimeter offense.

[@patricklarson7564]

@@nr14989 I think Malonga will be in the lottery, though. I think it’s going to go probably 1. Paige 2. Kiki 3. Malonga 4. Morrow. Or Morrow 3 and Malonga 4. After those top 4 I think it’s all going to be positional. Like if the team picking there really needs a PG they will probably go with Olivia Miles. That’s why I think she (Sonia) could go anywhere from 5 to 8. She’s just good at too many things and has good size for a wing or tall guard.

[@nr14989]

@@patricklarson7564 so fever will be around 7pick and hopefully Fever will pick her if Malonga is still available. That would be an awesome steal

[@patricklarson7564]

@@nr14989 To be clear I would love that, as I think one of the missing pieces for the Fever is an athletic well defending big to put next to Boston. I just think Malonga won’t be available where Indiana is picking (7 or 8 I think), unless they trade up a few spots. My personal wishlist is Sonia, to put with Clark and Mitchell as a sharpshooting 3 guard rotation. You could do what they were trying to do with Wallace or Wheeler earlier in the year since Citron can play SG or PG for stretches, and even play at SF when Lexie Hull is on the bench. Otherwise if she’s not there, I think fellow Irish player Maddy Westbeld would be another good option, but I’m a bit concerned if her relative lack of elite athleticism will hurt at the next level.

[@nr14989]

@@patricklarson7564 but i hope Fever will get Maddy (wings), a good bruiser defender that is more athletic than Smith and bigger than Hull and also a 3pt threat. I think Fever did a big mistake when they waive Alana Smith. Alana with AB, Mitchell, Hull and CC is a bit scary already. A rotation of Maddy, Temi, Dantas and Smith (is she stays)

[@upfulsoul826]

Cam is still like a rookie in year 2 and definitely will lose some bounce because of the injury. She needs to work on staying out of foul trouble and being more aggressive with her shot making. She could be injury prone after this major injury. She definitely doesn't look like a future DPOY winner right now. Paige is a game changer for the Sparks.

[@michaelbattaglia7305]

As a new fan I really enjoy this style of video. I'm interested in your opinion on teams' roster construction and what they are missing.

[@R2Jizzo1]

Get Paige. Better rotation in subs. Let Zia Cooke go to GS. More time together. Build a facility. That’s what the Sparks offseason should be.

[@PutzNJam]

long term deals? Those three were signed through 2025 ... that is a one year deal. you are confusing me. Are you referring to a full year contract as opposed to a 7 day hardship?

[@clampsgiveup9235]

LOVE THESE TYPE OF VIDEOS ❤️🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@mikailbumpus692]

Thanks Hunter. Enjoyed your commentary, the topic and where you have everything projected here. Great job! 👍 It will certainly be interesting to see how the draft plays out. I have a strange feeling that Dallas will get the 1st pick, but then again there’s alot of theories floating around out there, Not to mention, just alot of variables as far as the 2025 draft goes and The Teams vying for that 1st Pick.

[@nicholasmaharaj5493]

Yes another great video hunter ,i think early season injuries and lack of proper point guard (allemand ) really crippled this team. As far on the hopes on paige ,remember the expectations would be for her to do something similar to cc which is really hard and knowing her injury history ,for me it would be more of a wait and see.

[@nr14989]

If sparks Land Paige and then Storm waive Nika, then a starting 5 of Nika, Paige, Cameron, Rae and Hamby is scary and exciting

[@tyronegill8772]

​@nr14989 where's Rickea in this lineup?

[@RonquixoteDIII]

I think Citron, Fudd and Phelia all go before the first round is over: but there should still be some good players

[@HunterCruse14]

Oh yeah they should

[@Mah_Sh_ell]

What does it look like if Rickea Jackson and or Ru joins Golden State Valkeries? 😮😮😮

[@franzmovi]

As always, fantastic job. I would love to know the scenarios you think could happen for the upcoming expansion teams. Do you think an Expansion Draft would be possible?

[@HunterCruse14]

@@franzmovi Thank you! Yeah, just waiting to see what the expansion draft rules will be before running through hypothetical scenarios

[@123slasher.16]

The front court is solid with Li, Ureyl, Hamby, Brinks, Stevens, Jackson and Talbot. I would keep Rae Burrell and get rid of all yhe other guards. Draft Paige B and and the guard frim Plum that played for Iowa State. Fire Curt Miller Please!

[@123slasher.16]

Injuries is not why they were losing. Coaching was the problem.

[@shivi9799]

Do one for Chicago cause that team confuses me.

[@DJ_Mr_Rodge]

The chi-town baddies 2025 roster 5. kamilla cardoso 4. angel reese (stretch 4 pin hybrid forward-guard) 3. Michaela Onyenwere/aneesah morrow 2. chennedy carter 1. lindsay allen/Aneesah Morrow (depending if teams go with a tall guard lineup) Bench. 6. Izzy Harrison (versatile forward-center that can make short and long mid range shots) 7. Elizabeth Williams (versatile forward-center that can make short and long mid range shots) 8. Aneesah morrow (1st round pick…forward-guard that can lockdown D) 9. Te-hina Pao-Pao/raven johnson (1st round pick…. Can make 3pts, playmaker, and defense guard) 10. Amanda zahui b. (get height for taller center….get Li yueru if can’t get Amanda but won’t be easy) 11. Kysre Gondrezick/dana evans (3pt and D hopefully also 3 level scorer as time goes on) 12. Nika Muhl (via trade if not then diamond deshields…use players not listed to get 6’0 defensive guard-forward if neither DD or nika is available) Sn: the sky can pick up aneesah morrow paopao in 2025 with their two first round picks and if allen retires or moves on for more money/better opportunities in 2026 the sky can pick up raven johnson or kiki rice by combining their two first round 2026 picks..if allen stays we still will have draft capital to pick up whoever in 2026 to fill in whatever holes the team needs…the sky are in a really good position as a team going forward

[@shivi9799]

@@DJ_Mr_Rodge solid take thank you

[@DJ_Mr_Rodge]

@@shivi9799 np

[@RonquixoteDIII]

Li yueru declining her offer was reported last night so she probably wont be returning

[@patricklarson7564]

@@RonquixoteDIII I would take that with a grain of salt though as I heard that post was from a fan account, and not related to her agency.

[@yslcologneconnoisseur7473]

I would move on from Aari McDonald. She is way too inefficient and turns the ball over more than a good PG should.

[@HunterCruse14]

Actually 3.7 ast to 1.8 tov is pretty solid

[@SinisterAristotle]

I agree. I watched those games when she played, and I don’t think she was a great facilitator. She’s more of a score-first PG. I think that would be a problem when you have offensive weapons like Jackson, Hamby, and Bueckers or Iriafen. I thought Odyssey Sims was a better facilitator. Since neither MacDonald nor Sims are long term solutions, I would go with Sims for at least next year.

[@yslcologneconnoisseur7473]

@@SinisterAristotle agreed