The Sky have a decision to make.
"Doesn’t Fit the Sky’s Rebuilding Timeline:" Chicago Urged to Make Big Decision on Key Starter originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Chicago Sky are poised to miss the playoffs for the second straight year, and to make matters worse, they haven't seen a significant improvement in their performance despite having a more experienced core and a new coach.
With that said, the team is facing a major decision with the August 7 trade deadline approaching: will they keep their roster and try to turn things around, or will they make a trade and go into full rebuild mode?
If the Sky choose the latter, they certainly have options.
WNBA Trade Idea Sends Sky Starter to Dream
The Sky only have a 0.1% chance of making the playoffs, according to ESPN's Basketball Power Index. That said, there's a case to be made that it makes more sense for them to acquire young players who can complement their star duo of Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso in the years to come.
Now, in a trade idea proposed by Lee Escobedo of Bleacher Report, the Sky were urged to part ways with veteran forward Rachel Banham in exchange for the Atlanta Dream's Maya Caldwell, Taylor Thierry and a future second‑round pick.
While the trade certainly gives the Dream a big boost — Banham is averaging career-highs in points (9.3), rebounds (1.4), assists (2.5) and steals (0.6) — Escobedo also explained why it works out for the Sky as well.
"For Chicago, this deal is about pivoting toward youth development and future flexibility," Escobedo stated. "Banham, while still a useful scorer, doesn’t fit the Sky’s rebuilding timeline and occupies a protected contract slot for 2025.
"Moving her now frees up salary space and opens more minutes for younger backcourt and wing options like Caldwell and Thierry. Both incoming players have upside: Caldwell brings defensive versatility and secondary scoring potential, while Thierry’s athleticism and rebounding give Chicago an injection of energy on the wing."
Trading Banham Means Sky Accept a Failed Season
Sure enough, trading a fan-favorite like Banham isn't easy. She has fit in with the Chicago roster well and has established herself as a key presence and leader for the team. The 32-year-old guard has started in 18 games for the team, including Tuesday's contest against the Washington Mystics.
Earlier in July, following a Sky loss, Banham even got emotional as she reflected on her time with Chicago so far. She joined the Sky as part of the Marina Mabrey trade with the Connecticut Sun last season.
"Yeah, I’m just really lucky to be a part of this team, honestly," Banham said. "I have amazing teammates. My coaches have been incredible.
"It honestly hasn’t been that hard because they’re just so great for me. They just build me up all the time, and they believe in me in the times when I don’t believe in myself, so it really means a lot."
Moreover, if the Sky were to trade Banham, it would signal that they are entering a rebuild instead of trying to compete for a playoff spot immediately. After all, Banham has been one of the few bright spots for Chicago in their recent losing streak, averaging 12.9 points and 2.8 assists in that eight-game span.
It remains to be seen what the Sky will do. With the deadline approaching, it will be interesting to see which direction they take, especially if they concede they can no longer turn things around this campaign.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
