Date, Time, and Location: Monday, May 25th, 7:00pm, Chase Center
Broadcast Information: KPYX (San Francisco Bay Area), KMAX (Sacramento Area), NBC Sports Boston (opposition’s broadcast area), WNBA League Pass (streaming outside teams’ broadcast areas)
The Golden State Valkyries start a four-game homestand on Monday when they face the Connecticut Sun. After a tough end to the road trip, they will be looking to get the momentum back ahead of some important games. Their opponents have struggled to start the season in a rebuilding year, so this is a big opportunity for the Valkyries to stay on track. Golden State won both of their home games against the Sun last year, but their loss in Connecticut was by the largest margin of any game.
The Valkyries
It is possible that Golden State could have all twelve players available for this game with the team releasing their injury report. Cecilia Zandalasini has been upgraded to questionable as she tries to return from the concussion that she suffered in the opener. Juste Jocyte is also listed as questionable and it certainly would be ideal for her to be able to get a few minutes in this game if a low-stakes situation arises. Valkyries draftee Ashlon Jackson has been active for the last few games for the Sun as she signed there as a developmental player after being waived.
The Opposition
The lingering news regarding Connecticut would be their fate in future seasons as their ownership readied the team for a sale. Ultimately, the team was sold to the Houston Rockets ownership group and is set to move there after this season. As a result of the team’s status, the team did not exactly make a ton of big moves in the offseason, but does have a pretty young roster after opting to protect those players in the expansion draft process.
Before free agency even started, the Sun made a trade, sending backup center Rayah Marshall to Dallas and getting back the fully guaranteed contract of former lottery pick Diamond Miller. They did not receive any additional assets for helping in a salary dump, but were able to add a starter. They shored up the post position with the rest of their free agency moves, agreeing on a two-year deal with their restricted free agent Olivia Nelson-Ododa. Their projected salary cap room allowed them to sign Brittney Griner for one year at the maximum salary and Kennedy Burke for another million-dollar deal.
The other experienced player in their young core is post player Aaliyah Edwards as they picked up the option on the fourth year of her contract for next season as well. Three players returned for their second year after promising moments last year as Saniya Rivers and Aneesah Morrow are still firming up their roles in the rotation while Leila Lacan has yet to debut this season after finishing her season in France. The team drafted three more players who have made their roster as French guard Nell Angloma added to their athletic backcourt options while Gianna Kneepkens and Charlisse Leger-Walker were picked after winning the national championship in college. Undrafted center Raegan Beers made the team out of training camp and they claimed Hailey Van Lith’s contract in the waiver process to add another second-year guard to the mix.
Connecticut had their first three games and home, losing all of them, and this will be the fourth game of a five-game West Coast road trip. It started in Portland, where they lost, and will end there as well on Wednesday as they just played two games in Seattle, splitting them. Brittney Griner and Olivia Nelson-Ododa, who have missed recent games, are the only two players listed on the injury report and both of them are now probable for this game.
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