The Minnesota Lynx announced on Saturday that they signed Jaylyn Sherrod, the defensive-minded guard whom 1the New York Liberty waived last week. To do so, they waived Yvonne Anderson, who signed a Seven-Day contract with the Lynx late last month.
For Minnesota, Sherrod is a shrewd signing for several reasons; for one, at 23 years old, she’s another promising young player who could fit into Minnesota’s defensive-oriented style down the road. Sherrod has shown a lot of promise as a prospect; the undrafted sophomore had a standout career at the University of Colorado, where she was a two-time All-Pac-12 Team selection, averaging 12.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 2.2 steals in her senior season.
There’s also the reality that she’s spent the last two years playing for a Liberty team that the Lynx very well could see in the WNBA Finals this season. She appeared in 28 games over the past two seasons with the Liberty, but never got much of an on-court opportunity given New York’s unique depth. The Lynx and Liberty faced off in the WNBA Finals last season, and they have the league’s top two records this season as well. Having a player on the Liberty roster who intimately knows the Liberty playbook won’t dramatically swing a prospective series, but it will be advantageous as Minnesota prepares for New York. Sherrod was in the Liberty locker room less than two weeks ago, and in less than two months, she could be helping her new team try to defeat her old one en route to a title.
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The Liberty and Lynx seem likely to once again face off in the WNBA Finals
Minnesota is currently 26-5, and they’ve won four straight games despite losing Napheesa Collier to an ankle sprain. The Liberty are 5.5 games behind in the standings, and have won three consecutive games en route to a 20-10 record. They’ve also had an injury-riddled season; Jonquel Jones missed a month with an ankle sprain, and Breanna Stewart is currently sidelined with a knee injury.
The Lynx and Liberty facing off in the Finals again is not inevitable, but the two teams have been the WNBA’s most consistent this season. If both do face off, health will likely be the biggest indicator of success; the Lynx will want Collier at full strength, and the Liberty will need Stewart. Sherrod won’t be the swing factor, but her addition to Minnesota is another tool in the toolshed as the Lynx prepare for the Liberty.
