When Nneka Ogwumike committed to go back to the LA Sparks, it was clear Azura Stevens was likely heading out the door.
Stevens is a very talented forward who took on a starter role for the Sparks during a rebuilding era, and will now head back to Chicago. Stevens was part of the 2021 Sky Championship squad, but things look a lot different in Chicago these days, and Stevens is now a veteran player in her return.
Grading Azura Stevens to the Chicago Sky: C
First of all, Azura, get your bag. The grade isn’t about that. It’s more about the confusion in the way the Chicago Sky are moving. Are you tanking, or are you trying to be competitive? Signing veterans like Skylar Diggins and Stevens appear to be win-now moves, but Angel Reese was just traded away. You appear set to give up Ariel Atkins in a presumed trade, who is a player you traded away the No. 3 pick in 2025 (Sonia Citron) for. Getting back Rickea Jackson (reportedly) would be a good move. Yet, just today, the Sky traded away their 2028 first-round pick for Jacy Sheldon… make it make sense?
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The Sky are currently tied for the second-worst odds to win the WNBA Championship in 2026. They also gave the Mystics the right to swap first-round picks with them in 2027, and now outright gave them their 2028 pick.
This is more a grade on the Sky’s choices than Azura as a prospect. She raises their level of play substantially and will be an excellent floor spacer around Kamilla Cardoso. The fact that she’s on a three-year deal probably impacts the overall money she will make, but that also locks her in to another rebuilding team for three years. Overall this has just been a strange offseason for the Sky, so it’s hard to give this move too high of marks.
