Minutes after picking Chiney Ogwumike with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft on Monday night, the Connecticut Sun traded disgruntled forward Tina Charles to the New York Liberty in return for the fourth overall pick (Maryland forward Alyssa Thomas), center Kelsey Bone and New York’s 2015 first-round pick. Charles reportedly told the Sun that she’d sit out the season if she wasn’t traded. From Swish Appeal:
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – The Connecticut Sun went 10-24 in 2013. It was a miserable season for a team with no chemistry. It was obvious that change needed to come, and not just by trading Kara Lawson and adding Katie Douglas.
The Sun made a major splash during Monday’s WNBA Draft at Mohegan Sun Arena, trading 2012 MVP Tina Charles to the New York Liberty and a 2015 third round pick for Kelsey Bone, a 2015 first round pick and the rights to Monday’s fourth overall pick, Alyssa Thomas.
Connecticut had the No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft, which it used on Stanford star Chiney Ogwumike, and then added Duke’s Chelsea Gray at No. 11 and Kentucky’s DeNesha Stallworth at No. 25.
Vice president and general manager Chris Sienko said that Charles’ agent told them about two weeks ago that the former UConn star would not be playing for the Sun this season.
