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The first domino of the offseason fell for the Los Angeles Sparks.
According to a report by Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, Candace Parker is leaving the Sparks – the only team she has played for in her WNBA career since her draft. 1 in total by franchise in 2008 – to play for the Chicago Sky in the 2021 season. Parker grew up in Naperville, a Chicago suburb.
Terms of the deal were not reported and players are not allowed to officially sign with the teams until February 1, but the announcement, combined with a report from The Next Tuesday that Parker was in talks with the Sky, shows this quite clearly. that Parker’s tenure in Los Angeles has ended. Parker is an unrestricted free agent and it looks like she’s tapping into Chicago’s ceiling space, although the Sparks can still try to negotiate a sign and trade so Parker can get the full supermax.
She left the Sparks after winning two MVP awards, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year in 2020, and MVP Finals in 2016, Los Angeles’ only championship in 13 seasons. The Sparks seemed outwardly confident they could keep Parker, a franchise icon, in free agency. However, a disappointing exit from the playoffs for the second straight season was apparently too much to overcome. Parker joins an exciting core in Chicago who was apparently a strong defensive forward by no means a real contender, and she most certainly can be that piece.
With Parker’s departure, it becomes more and more likely that Gray is also about to come out. Recent reports from The Next describe the Las Vegas Aces as the point guard’s most likely contender.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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