Seattle's stars return as Free Agency begins!
Officially the team has re-signed Mercedes Russell and Jewell Loyd. Unofficially, Stewart and Bird are back as well!
Free Agency in the WNBA has officially begun. Several of the league’s teams made announcements while others are continuing to work behind the scenes to get deals done. In Seattle, the Storm officially announced the signings of Mercedes Russell and Jewell Loyd. The team sent out press releases for these two players.
The quotes below are directly from those press releases.
First up, team general manager Talisa Rhea and Coach Quinn talk about the importance of re-signing Mercedes Russell.
“Mercedes has become an integral part of the Storm and our championship culture,” said Talisa Rhea, Storm General Manager. “She is a true team player and her versatility at the post position and her skill set make her extremely valuable to the Storm. Mercedes has continued to grow each year with us, and we are excited about her ability to help us win now and in the future.”
“I am thrilled to have Mercedes back with us,” said Noelle Quinn, Storm Head Coach. “She is a cerebral player and has improved every year, displaying her excellent passing ability and a solid presence on both ends of the floor. Mercedes understands that her role with us is valuable and always plays to her strength.”
“I am so happy to stay in Seattle with such a great organization,” said Russell. “I am looking forward to the opportunity to play at Climate Pledge Arena and continuing to compete for championships.”
Next, we have the quotes from the team on re-signing Jewell Loyd.
“As one of the best players in the WNBA and a critical piece to our future success, keeping Jewell in Seattle was a top priority for us,” said Talisa Rhea, Storm General Manager. “Jewell has made a positive impact on each member of this franchise and throughout the local community during her time here. Her dedication to improving her game and her leadership both on and off the court embodies the championship culture we have developed here.”
“Jewell is a special talent with a tremendous work ethic and having her back greatly improves our chances of contending for a fifth championship,” said Noelle Quinn, Storm Head Coach. “Last season, she evolved into an elite defender, combining with her offensive firepower to solidify why she’s among the best in the league.”
“Seattle is my second home and I’m excited to return and win more championships with this amazing group,” said Loyd.
Per team policy, the Storm did not reveal any contract details for Mercedes Russell or Jewell Loyd, but thankfully Richard Cohen and the team at HerHoopStats have provided that to the public.
Beyond the official announcements from the team, we have seen other official announcements regarding the Storm and their players.
Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports was the first to break the news that Breanna Stewart has agreed to return to Seattle on a one-year deal worth the supermax. Yes, just for one year (more on that later).
Sue Bird’s return to the Storm was also confirmed earlier by Bird via an Instagram post and a Storm Twitter post that was later deleted due to it (technically) being a tampering violation of the league’s free agency policy.
However, Bird’s signing likely won’t be announced for a little while as the team will need to figure out her specific contract details. Last season, Bird confirmed she was willing to take less money if necessary but ultimately it wasn’t and she got paid a max salary. ESPN’s Holly Rowe reported on Tuesday that Bird is taking that same approach in 2022, where she might sign for less depending on if the team needs extra money to attract free agents.
Because of this, I would not expect to hear an official announcement from the team until they complete all of their other off-season moves in free agency. That might be completed within the next week or two or it could take longer.
With Bird, Loyd, Stewart, and Russell all returning to the team in 2022 the Storm may not have a lot of money left over for outside free agents. However, the one player that has been linked to Seattle is Guard Briann January.
January, a native of Spokane, Washington, is a defensive specialist. The 35-year-old has been named to the WNBA’s All-Defensive First Team five times and All-Defensive Second Team an additional two times throughout her career. The 13-year veteran has spent most of her WNBA career with the Indiana Fever where she won a title in 2012. She has also played on the Phoenix Mercury and most recently with the Connecticut Sun.