The 23-year-old WNBA star is heading to Atlanta after two seasons with the Chicago Sky, with the trade sending first-round draft picks to Chicago in return.
Angel Reese is moving on. The Chicago Sky traded the 23-year-old forward to the Atlanta Dream on Monday morning, bringing a close to what had become an increasingly uncertain situation in Chicago and opening a new chapter for one of the WNBA’s most recognizable young players.
Under the terms of the deal, the Sky will receive first-round draft picks in both 2027 and 2028, while the Dream will acquire Reese along with a second-round pick swap in 2028.
A promising talent heading somewhere new
In two WNBA seasons with Chicago, Reese established herself as one of the more productive players in the league. She averaged 14 points and 13 rebounds per game — numbers that put her among the top rebounders in the entire league and made her a consistent double-double threat on any given night. The production was never really in question. The fit, however, clearly was.
Chicago finished last season with a 10-34 record, one of the worst marks in the league. The losing environment appeared to wear on Reese, who made no secret of her frustration as the season wound down and openly raised the possibility of seeking a change of scenery if circumstances did not improve. Her comments signaled a player who felt she was ready for more than what the Sky were able to offer — and Monday’s trade suggests the organization ultimately agreed.
What Atlanta brings to the table
Reese is heading to a franchise that looks quite different from the one she is leaving. The Dream went 30-14 last season, finishing as one of the stronger teams in the league before falling to the Indiana Fever in the first round of the WNBA playoffs. Atlanta has the infrastructure, the winning culture and the roster depth that Chicago has been working to build — giving Reese the opportunity to compete at a meaningfully higher level than she experienced in her first two professional seasons.
For the Dream, the trade adds a high-profile, high-energy presence who can dominate the glass and create second-chance opportunities at an elite level. Whether Reese can help push Atlanta past the first-round hurdle that tripped the team up last postseason will be one of the more compelling storylines to follow as the new WNBA season approaches.
Chicago looks to rebuild around picks
For the Sky, the return of two first-round picks reflects a front office willing to trade present star power for future flexibility. Chicago has been in rebuilding mode, and adding premium draft capital gives the organization meaningful assets to work with as it tries to construct a more competitive roster over the next few seasons. Whether those picks ultimately accelerate the rebuild or simply delay it will depend heavily on how the Sky use them — and on how the league’s draft landscape looks in 2027 and 2028.
Reese, for her part, arrives in Atlanta with plenty to prove. Her individual numbers have always been strong, but she has yet to experience meaningful postseason success at the professional level. A full season with a contending team could go a long way toward answering questions about what kind of player she is when the stakes are at their highest — and what kind of impact she can have when surrounded by a roster built to win.
Source: New York Post