Atlanta Dream head coach Tanisha Wright made clear on Monday that Chennedy Carter will remain with the team, calling her “a part of our roster.”
Wright referred to Carter and 2021 rookie guard Aari McDonald as “really good young talents” the team can build around.
“I think bringing in some veteran leadership can definitely help them,” said the first-year head coach. “People who can show them how to be a pro day in, day out, give them tidbits and little nuances of the game, people who can challenge them and help grow their game.”
Carter’s presence on the team has been in question ever since the Dream suspended the guard indefinitely in July following a verbal altercation in the locker room after a game against the Las Vegas Aces. Courtney Williams, the player reportedly involved in a heated exchange with Carter, will not re-sign with the Dream after a separate incident. The WNBA suspended Williams and Atlanta teammate Crystal Bradford last month after a video surfaced showing the players getting into a fight outside of an Atlanta day club in May.
In the past few months, the Dream have made changes to their leadership, hiring Wright as head coach and naming Dan Padover general manager. At the time of his hiring, Padover confirmed that the team would not re-sign Williams and Bradford and that he intended to reach out to Carter.
Atlanta has just five players under contract for 2022, including Carter and McDonald, so there is flexibility to bring in veterans to help guide the team. The Dream also have the third overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft.