After their game was over on Tuesday, the Golden State Valkyries were allowed to sign an additional player to return to a full roster after the departure of Temi Fagbenle for EuroBasket and they signed rookie wing Bree Hall. It was a slight surprise for the team to sign a player with no experience with the team or the ability to add to depth in the post, but this will be an opportunity for her to play her first game in the league after not making a roster out of training camp. The team will have some games to evaluate their new players before needing to make decisions when the temporarily suspended players return from national team duty.
Bree Hall
It is the rookie season for Bree Hall after she finished her college career at South Carolina as a two-year starter, winning two national championships during her time on the team. She was picked 20th in the draft by Indiana Fever, which happens to be the first team that she could play against, but she faced a tough road to a final roster spot, ultimately being waived before the season.
She developed into a consistent three-point shooter and defender while in school and those are the areas in which she would have to contribute in to have a WNBA career. Since the Valkyries opted not to sign a post player with this last spot, Kayla Thornton will have to play more minutes at power forward so an additional perimeter defender could be helpful. The team’s overall struggles with long-range shooting have also been well-publicized so players who might have a future in that area are also worth a look.
Roster Picture
Golden State is now back to having twelve healthy and available players even though the last game showed that not all players will be called upon in close games. The salary cap space that the Valkyries had means that all of the players are signed on regular contracts, unlike some of the other midseason signings in the league made under hardship exemptions. That means that any of the midseason signings can be kept on if they impress and the team could waive any of their players as returnees are ready to have their contracts removed from suspension, though those players will have a tough road to take the spot from a player who started the season with the Valkyries.
EuroBasket Returnees
The roster as it stands now should be the one that the Valkyries have for the next two games unless they decide to make another change. The first teams eliminated at EuroBasket will have their final games on either Saturday or Sunday so players could return in time for next Wednesday’s game. The eight teams that advance to the quarterfinals will all be playing games through Sunday, June 29th, so players who advance would be missing the next five Golden State games.
Temi Fagbenle and Cecilia Zandalasini must report back to the team within 48 hours of the end of the tournaments for Great Britain and Italy respectively. The league would suspend them for the rest of the season if they did not return on time, regardless of how the Valkyries felt about it, and they would also risk their ability to play in the league next year as well. Julie Vanloo and Janelle Salaun are not subject to this rule due to not being in the league as long, but they are still expected to return in time for Golden State’s game on July 5th.
When a player returns, the Valkyries would take their contract off suspension and need to waive or trade a player to stay at a twelve-player roster. As mentioned earlier, Golden State is still in a situation where they have the flexibility to keep or release any of their players. Iliana Rupert has also stated that she plans on joining the team this season after her time with France’s national team and the Valkyries would have the ability to add her too, even if they have to eat some salary by waiving another player after the contract guarantee date.
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