For the Chicago Sky to return to the WNBA Playoffs following a two-year absence, these three steps should be taken.
The Chicago Sky are watching the WNBA Finals from home for the fourth season in a row after winning their first and only title in 2021. The pairing of forward Angel Reese and center Kamilla Cardoso have yet to make the playoffs.
When the Sky last made the playoffs, their current head coach, Tyler Marsh, was an assistant coach for the team that ousted them in 2023, the Las Vegas Aces. Chicago has the opportunity to turn their fortune around next year.
With only Reese, Cardoso, and this season’s rookies, Hailey Van Lith and Maddy Westbeld, under contract heading into the 2026 WNBA regular season, the Sky can totally turn the roster into the product they want.
In order to make that a winning a product, here are the three steps that Chicago should take.
1. Convince Ariel Atkins to re-sign for less.
As a return of their 2025 WNBA Draft night trade, the Sky sent the rights to the third overall pick for Atkins. The Washington Mystics unloaded their veteran guard in the middle of her two-year, $400,000 deal for rookie Sonia Citron.
Citron was named a WNBA All-Star in her first season in the league. Averaging just under 15 points per game, the rookie connected on 44.5% of her shots from behind the three-point arc.
Atkins averaged 13.1 points per game, but did not play in all 44 games like Citron did. A more expensive player, the former Mystics guard is a free agent now that her contract is complete.
The former WNBA champion can still score and provide a punch offensively (when healthy) for Chicago. The Sky need veteran leadership to help build a winning culture around Reese and Cardoso. However, if general manager Jeff Pagliocca can’t convince Atkins to return on a more team-friendly deal, she may not be the best fit.
2. Draft a point guard for the future.
The Sky don’t need another big out of the first round. Here, Chicago should look for a young playmaker to learn from veteran Courtney Vandersloot. The two-time WNBA champion announced that she was interested in returning to the Sky for the 2026 season.
Having a full season of Vandersloot and Atkins in the back court for Chicago could help cut down on the team’s turnover woes. The Sky led the league in turnovers with 15.6 per game.
If Pagliocca is not confident in finding the answer regarding Chicago’s draft placement in the first round, he could trade for another team’s 2026 first-round pick for a future first-round pick. A third trade in as many years could advance the Sky’s rebuild and return to the WNBA Playoffs.
3. Find a proven scorer in free agency
The Sky had four players average more than 10 points per game. Unfortunately, Vandersloot only played in seven games before sustaining a season-ending ACL injury. She averaged 10.6 points in 2025
In addition to being the team and league’s leading rebounder, Reese was the Sky’s best scorer with a 14.7 points per game average. Cardoso scored 13.6 while Atkins recorded a 13.1 points per game average.
Reese’s scoring average barely cracked the WNBA’s Top 25 for points per game. Even bad teams like the Connecticut Sun and the Dallas Wings both had a pair of offensive weapons to rank in the Top 25. Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale did it for Dallas while former Sky guard Marina Mabrey and Tina Charles did it for Connecticut.
Chicago needs help on both sides of the ball. Being able to reduce their turnovers, score more efficiently while continuing to be a force on the boards should allow the Sky to return to the playoffs.
