Dream send Hooper, pick to Sky for Boyette, Young


The Atlanta Dream bolstered their frontcourt with the additions of Imani Boyette and Tamera Young from the Chicago Sky in a trade executed last Monday.

The Dream will be sending shooter Jordan Hooper and their 2018 first round pick in return to Chicago.

In the Dream's press release, head coach Michael Cooper said his team needs more rebounding, and the 6-foot-7 Imani Boyette will certainly be of help not just in that department but also in protecting the rim.

While Atlanta has Elizabeth Williams and Sancho Lyttle as their primary bigs, when one of those two go to the bench, the team suffers in rebounding and rim protection. The Dream is already a decent rebounding team. ranking fifth in the league while also being fourth in blocks. The addition of Boyette would help elevate them defensively.

On a personal level, this trade would help Boyette. She struggled finding her role in Chicago where an all-star center in Stefanie Dolson has obviously been the focal point. In Atlanta, Boyette will be a fine back-up big. We don't know when Lyttle decides to hang it up but Boyette will eventually be her successor if the Dream keeps her long-term.

The addition of Young gives Atlanta another scorer should some of their main weapons struggle. Young is averaging a career-high 10.2 PPG, the first time she has averaged double-digits in her career. Young will also give Cooper a better defensive option especially against quicker and stronger four guys which may cause problems for players like Williams and Bria Holmes.

The Dream are currently at eighth spot in the WNBA standings with a 10-13 record, and getting the two players will surely help them in their quest to make the playoffs.


The Sky are the second worst team in the league, and while they are not really far off the eighth spot, the trade might be a sign they are already looking at the future. Hooper is only 25, and getting a first rounder next year is a good return for them. It's obvious that with the departure of Boyette, Dolson is now the team's primary big.

Losing Young hurts, but perhaps the Sky is focusing full-time on running their offense through their slew of backcourt weapons in Allie Quigley, Cappie Pondexter, and Courtney Vandersloot with complementary players providing the support.

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