We’re about a week and a half into the 2022 WNBA season, and while it is still early, we learned a lot from game action over the past week.

The 3-1 Las Vegas Aces are rolling offensively, leading the league in scoring at 91 points per game. The Washington Mystics handed the Aces their first loss of the season and have looked like a championship contender so far, even with Natasha Cloud missing the last two games due to COVID-19 protocol.

Rhyne Howard and the WNBA rookie class continue to put on a show, and the New York Liberty have a few areas of concern that need to be addressed. Here are my thoughts after the past week in the WNBA.

Making sense of the Minnesota Lynx

I wrote last week that it was far too early to hit the panic button on the Lynx. And despite the dramatic changes they’ve made to the roster and their 0-4 start to the season, I’m already starting to feel better about the direction of the team.

Last week, the Lynx agreed to a contract buyout with Angel McCoughtry and mutually parted ways with Odyssey Sims due to personal reasons. The next day, the Lynx signed guards Moriah Jefferson and Evina Westbrook to season-long deals. They also released the hardship contracts of Rennia Davis, Yvonne Turner and Nikolina Millic, only to announce that two of the three had re-signed the next day — a transactional process required when dealing with hardships. Minnesota wanted to part ways with Davis, and needed to release all three to make that possible.

Some saw the roster moves and predicted the Lynx might be tanking, but I don’t believe that’s the case for two reasons. One, every transaction the team made had something to do with a player’s injury or inability to perform at 100 percent. Two, it would be shocking for head coach and GM Cheryl Reeve to tank Sylvia Fowles’ last season. Minnesota still has a chance to be competitive this season, and while maybe not to this extent, the early-season challenges were expected based on the make-up of the current roster.

In need of reinforcements, the Lynx activated Kayla McBride on Monday after she returned late from her overseas season with Fenerbahce in Turkey, simultaneously releasing Turner from her hardship contract to make room. McBride is listed as available for Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks. If Damiris Dantas gets healthy and Aerial Powers produces more consistently, the Lynx should be right back in the mix.

Based on their performance against the Chicago Sky on Saturday in an 82-78 loss, I am encouraged that things are looking up in Minnesota.

A generational talent?

Rhyne Howard scored a career-high 33 points in the Dream’s win over the Indiana Fever on Sunday, the most of any WNBA player so far this season. Her performance included 17 of Atlanta’s 21 first-quarter points. The rookie is now fourth in the league in scoring, averaging 20.8 points per game for the 3-1 Dream.

Below is Howard’s shot chart from the first quarter of Sunday’s game:

Howard’s offensive skill set and scoring ability are undeniable. It’s how quickly and seamlessly her game has translated to the WNBA that is most impressive. Howard has not skipped a beat from her career at Kentucky, playing with a level of confidence that is putting her in elite historical company and making the Dream the talk of the season so far.

In the example shown below from the game against the Fever, the Dream are set up in a 1-4 high, dump-down look. The team can take a number of different approaches out of this action, but what makes the play so effective is the Dream’s ability to sell their fakes.

When Erica Wheeler dumps the ball down to Cheyenne Parker, she cuts down to the opposite short corner. Nia Coffey turns and appears to want to pin down for Wheeler, but she instead pins Howard’s mark. Howard does a great job of timing this up, waiting for her defender to hesitate briefly as the help on Wheeler. That short pause and screening action provide just enough space for Howard to get her shot off.

RHYN3️⃣ HOWARD🔥 pic.twitter.com/Il5M9i0kA6

— Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) May 15, 2022

In the clip below, we see the Dream exposing Indiana’s scramble defense and sharing the basketball with an extra pass.

The Fever miscommunicated on how to play the high-ball screen, which forced them to scramble — or X out — to defend the shooters. Kristy Wallace had a good look at the basket, but she decided to swing it once more to a wide-open Howard in the corner. This is a great example of passing up a good shot for an even better one.

17 points in the first quarter for the #1 draft pick @howard_rhyne 😲 Are you not amazed? pic.twitter.com/xuWYl8WPwO

— WNBA (@WNBA) May 15, 2022

What’s up with the …

New York Liberty

The Liberty played four games in nine days, dropping the last three after winning their season opener against the Connecticut Sun. With a new, high-profile coach and top talent, expectations for the 1-3 Liberty are higher than they’ve been in years, but this week reminded us that the team is still a work in progress. Two of their most glaring areas of concern early on have been rebounding and scoring.

The Liberty are currently last in the league on the boards, pulling down just 28.9 rebounds per game and getting out-rebounded by their opponents in every game so far. In no game was this more evident than in their 92-85 overtime loss to the Indiana Fever on Friday, when they were manhandled on the glass, 57-33, and allowed 17 second-chance points. Those were extra possessions New York could not afford to give up in such a close game.

The Liberty are also averaging a league-worst 72 points per game. Their offensive struggles were on full display in an 83-50 loss to the Sky last week. New York shot just 33 percent from the floor and 13 percent from the 3-point line, with Han Xu the only Liberty player to reach double figures that night.

In their overtime loss to the Fever, the Liberty had three players in double figures, but their third-leading scorer, Natasha Howard, went just 1-for-15 from the floor. Those are rough numbers for anyone, let alone your starting post player in such a close contest. New York has to find a way to get more consistent production from its offense, starting with trips to the free-throw line and second-chance opportunities.

Howard did bounce back with an efficient 14-point performance in a loss to the Wings on Sunday. Betnijah Laney has also looked a lot more comfortable offensively in the Liberty’s last two games. Sabrina Ionescu leads the team in scoring with 18.8 points per game, and the anticipated return of Rebecca Allen will give this team a veteran leader and poised outside shooter.

Another bright spot for New York has been the impressive play of Han Xu. In 12 minutes per game across two games, the 6-foot-10 center is averaging 10 points, good for fourth on the team. Her 64 percent field-goal percentage currently leads the team, and she’s also 2-for-3 from beyond the arc. While the 22-year-old continues to adjust to the physicality of the WNBA, her instincts, mobility and efficiency bode well for the Liberty as they look for answers on offense.

In the following clip from Sunday’s game, Han catches Wings center Teaira McCowan dropping a little too low in help and takes advantage of her height and quick release. Han does not need a lot of space for her shot because she can create it with her length. WNBA teams will certainly be adding this to their scouting reports on her moving forward.

6'10, Han Xu from the three-point line? Why not! 👏 pic.twitter.com/ASOzemmzpS

— WNBA (@WNBA) May 15, 2022

Week 2 Power Rankings

1. Washington Mystics (3-1)
2. Las Vegas Aces (3-1)
3. Chicago Sky (2-1)
4. Connecticut Sun (1-1)
5. Atlanta Dream (3-1)
6. Phoenix Mercury (2-1)
7. Dallas Wings (2-1)
8. Los Angeles Sparks (2-2)
9. Seattle Storm (1-3)
10. Indiana Fever (2-3)
11. New York Liberty (1-3)
12. Minnesota Lynx (0-4)

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.

Cameron Brink already has her rookie of the year pick for the upcoming WNBA season, and it’s Indiana-bound star Caitlin Clark. 

In the latest edition of Kelley on the Street, host Kelley O'Hara caught up with Brink in New York hours before the Stanford phenom went No. 2 overall to the Los Angeles Sparks at the 2024 WNBA Draft. When O’Hara asked who would win the WNBA's rookie of the year, she answered without pause.

"Caitlin Clark," she said, while a fan commented that she thought Brink would take home the award. Brink later added that the extra foul granted to WNBA players will be "good for me."

"I hope it’s me," Charisma Osborne, who was later drafted by the Phoenix Mercury, said when asked her ROY prediction. "But, I don’t know — we’ll see."

Watch more of Kelley on the Street:

Maria Sanchez issued a statement on Thursday, confirming recent reports that she has requested a trade from the Houston Dash. 

In it, she revealed that the club has been aware of the request "since late March."

"This has all taken a toll and isn’t an easy thing to talk about, but I want to confirm that I’ve requested an immediate trade," she wrote. "My expectations and reasons have been clear. I trust that my current club’s management will honor my decision in a timely manner and proceed with accepting a trade."

"I’m eager to refocus and dive back into what I love most: playing football," she concluded.

Thank you, everyone, for the outpouring of kindness and support. pic.twitter.com/gcnN7dhCJU

— Maria Sanchez (@Maria17_7) April 19, 2024

Reports of Sanchez's trade request first surfaced on ESPN last week, and were later confirmed by multiple sources. 

In December of last year, Sanchez signed a three-year contract with the Dash valued at $1.5 million including bonuses and an option year. It was the largest contract in NWSL history at the time — a figure that would be eclipsed by multiple contracts in the following months. 

Sanchez spent the offseason as a restricted free agent, meaning that Houston could match any other team's offer to retain her rights. Should the Dash trade Sanchez, her current contract terms would remain intact, limiting potential buyers to teams able to afford to take on an inking of that size.

The Dash has yet to address the trade, instead reiterating to ESPN that Sanchez is "under contract, a choice she made in free agency at the end of 2023." 

Both the NWSL trade window and transfer window close tonight, April 19th, at 12 a.m. ET. The window will stay closed through the next 11 regular season games, reopening on August 1st, 2024.

The four-time league champion Seattle Storm unveiled their new practice facility on Thursday, with Storm co-owner Lisa Brummel dubbing Interbay's Seattle Storm Center for Basketball Performance the team’s "new home."

"It's just such a special space," Brummel told Fox 13 Seattle. "I think when the players get here, it's gonna be overwhelming."

The sprawling 50,000-square-foot, $64 million property is just the second designated practice facility to be designed and built expressly for a WNBA team, with the Storm further noting that 85% of all design and engineering team members involved in the project's construction were women and people of color. The finished product holds two professional indoor courts, two 3x3 outdoor courts, a state-of-the-art locker room, and players' lounge, plus designated areas for strength and conditioning, kitchen, dining, and nutrition, and recovery. 

"This facility reflects our commitment to providing our athletes an exceptional environment that supports their growth, health, and performance," said Storm co-owner Ginny Gilder in an official team release. "It’s built for women, by women, embodying our dedication to leading the way in professional women’s sports."

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For their part, the team can't wait to make the faciilty their own.

"It's amazing," Storm guard Jewell Loyd told Fox 13. "Not having to drive everywhere around, knowing you have access anytime of the day to get into the gym, to workout." 

Head coach Noelle Quinn said she predicts the team is "never going to leave this building."

"Which is a good thing for me," she continued. "You talk about having an edge in performance. We want our athletes to not only perform on the court, but get whatever they need."

All of the Storm's staff and operations will now live under one roof, and the team also has plans to launch a youth basketball program operating out of the building.

The Caitlin Clark effect is quickly making its mark on the big leagues, as WNBA host teams around the country rush to upgrade their Fever games to larger arenas in order to accommodate surging ticket sales.

With Clark mere weeks away from her Indiana Fever debut, both the Las Vegas Aces and Washington Mystics have officially relocated their scheduled home games with head coach Christie Sides' squad. On Thursday, the Mystics became the latest to adjust their plans, moving their June 7th matchup from Entertainment & Sports Arena in Southwest DC to the more centrally located — and much larger — Capital One Arena "due to unprecedented demand."

The Mystics home court's capacity taps out at 4,200, while Capital One Arena — home to the Wizards, Capitals, and Georgetown Hoya's Men's Basketball — can fit nearly five times that crowd at some 20,000 spectators.

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"The move to Capital One Arena will allow for additional fans in the stands as well as premium hospitality options, including Suites and the all-new all-inclusive courtside Hennessy Lofts," the team announced via Thursday's press release.

The Aces were one of the first teams to switch venues, aiming to take on the Indiana Fever in front of as many as 20,000 fans inside T-Mobile Arena on July 2nd. That’s a sizable a boost from their home venue, which holds just 12,000.

For those still planning to face the Fever in their home arenas, ticket prices have skyrocketed. Previously scheduled construction has already forced the LA Sparks to relocate their first five games — including their May 24th clash with the Fever — to Long Beach State's Walter Pyramid. The temporary venue is quite the downsize, holding just 4,000 in comparison to Crypto.com Arena's near-19,000. As of Friday, the get-in price for that game started around $400.

Despite fans launching a Change.org petition urging relocation, the Chicago Sky say they're unable to move their June 23rd Fever meeting from Wintrust Arena's 10,000-seat facility to the 23,500-seat United Center due to a concert. Tickets for that game start around $325 as of Friday.