Rebuilding requires bravery, and the Washington Mystics’ new front office showed that by trading two-time All-Star Ariel Atkins to the Chicago Sky on Sunday night. The club legend was a centerpiece of Washington’s 2019 championship team, but moving on makes sense.
The Sky sent the Mystics the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, a first-round pick swap in 2027, and a second-round swap in ’27. Washington now owns the No. 3, 4, and 6 picks in ’25 and a first-rounder in ’26, which is plenty of ammunition to add to a young core of Aaliyah Edwards (22), Shakira Austin (24), Sika Koné (22), and Jade Melbourne (22).
Mystics general manager Jamila Wideman admitted that this is a long-term move, via The Washington Post’s Kareem Copeland.
“The opportunity that was presented in front of us was to really enable us to select talent at the top of the upcoming draft, and enhance our draft potential in the years to come,” the former Los Angeles Spark said. “For us, that was an investment in our future. And given that our path is to build a program to sustain a period of contention as a part of this next era of Mystics basketball, getting those opportunities to bring in that youth and that talent, this year and looking forward, was just something that we couldn’t pass up.”
It’s easy to see why considering the return they got.
Mystics trade grade: A
Let’s not overthink this. Atkins was a fan favorite in Washington, and it’s never easy to let go of that. However, this move was a no-brainer.
The 28-year-old has one year left on her contract, and the Mystics’ new regime wants to achieve long-term success by developing youngsters. Unless they’re a superstar that attracts other stars, which Atkins isn’t, there’s no need for a non-championship-caliber team to keep such a player.
Make no mistake, the five-time All-Defensive honoree is a quality hooper that will elevate the Sky. She led Washington with 14.9 points on 43.2-percent shooting and 1.5 steals across 29.9 minutes per game last season, and would’ve been a key piece for the team this year as well. As Wideman said, though, the organization is thinking more about tomorrow more than today.
“Our goal is to be opportunistic and innovative and strategic as we build a team — not move at speed for speed’s sake but make moves that allow us to compete consistently and to achieve a sustainable success,” she continued. “Every move that is possible is not necessarily a move that lines up with that kind of goal. We don’t want to rush into anything.”
Atkins likely would’ve walked next offseason if the Mystics kept her. Why not get a return for her now instead of losing her for nothing next winter?
“We see this era as one that matches the future of the game in general,” Wideman concluded. “The game is growing. It is incredibly bright. The skill level is rising. And we want to position ourselves to not just be a part of it but to put ourselves in a position where we can choose what that looks like for the Mystics. Putting ourselves in a position to get some of the best young talent that the game has to offer simply makes sense.”
Some of said talent includes French international Dominique Malinga (forward/center), Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron, LSU guard Aneesha Morrow, and USC forward Kiki Iriafen. UConn star Paige Bueckers will certainly be picked No. 1 overall, and Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles will likely go No. 2. However, the 6-foot-6 Malinga is a potential foundational piece with “ridiculous talent,” via Sportskeeda’s Ben Pfeifer.
19 year old dominique malonga is a ridiculous talent, 6’6 with crazy movement ability and skill flashes
averaging 15-9 with 2.7 stocks in the french league so far this season shooting above 50% from the floor, her upside is freaky pic.twitter.com/cugSntAGaq
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) January 10, 2025
The 2027 first-round pick swap could be significant as well, especially if Chicago is the league’s worst team by that time. If it is, the Mystics would get the No. 1 pick and land USC superstar JuJu Watkins, who won’t be draft-eligible until then.
Of course, none of this matters unless Washington hits on its picks. With that being said, it’s easier to strike gold with more bites at the apple, especially at the top of the draft.
Additionally, the Mystics have room for error thanks to the youngsters it already has. Edwards recently reached the Unrivaled 1-on-1 Tournament Final, Austin was on the 2022 All-Rookie team, and Koné and Melbourne both excelled overseas this offseason. Each of them have multiple years left on their contracts, except for Austin, who’ll hit restricted free agency in 2026. This means that the Mystics can retain her by matching any offer that another team gives her.
All in all, Washington’s new regime has made its mission clear: make short-term sacrifices for long-term gains.
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