Less than four months after the Chicago Sky beat the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Finals to win the first championship in franchise history, the two teams have partnered in a three-team trade — along with the Indiana Fever — that could determine whether they get back to the Finals again this season.
For Phoenix, a sign-and-trade means landing restricted free agent Diamond DeShields without having to worry about the possibility of Chicago matching an offer sheet to her. The Mercury also managed to create additional cap space by sending back guard Bria Hartley, rerouted to the Fever, who have plenty of room to spare.
In addition to facilitating DeShields’ departure, the Sky also added to a growing Belgian contingent on the roster. Julie Allemand, who started all 22 games for the Fever in 2020 before sitting out last season to play in the Tokyo Olympics, is headed to Chicago to join new…
