The Chicago Sky just handed a foundational piece to an Eastern Conference rival, as Angel Reese is officially a member of the Atlanta Dream.
Chicago traded the two-time All-Star in exchange for a pair of future first-round draft picks. In exchange for Reese, the Sky received the Dream’s first-round picks in 2027 and 2028. Atlanta will also receive 2028 second-round swap rights.
Did the Chicago Sky Get Enough in the Angel Reese Trade?
Reese made her frustrations with Chicago’s direction public last season, and her departure felt inevitable once the relationship fractured. However, the deal left one league observer scratching their head.
Discussing the blockbuster trade, WNBA reporter Chelsea Leite suggested the Sky got the short end of the stick in the exchange.
“I don’t know, if I’m the GM and I’m like ‘I wanna make this trade because we’re deciding to move on from Angel Reese,’ I feel like the return could have been better. If you’re deciding where she goes as opposed to Angel Reese coming and saying, ‘Hey, I wanna be traded to Atlanta,’ then you can kind of shop around and see what other things are happening…”
“I’m shocked that Atlanta got away with this without having to give up like Te-Hina Paopao or like the rights to Isobel Borlase… any of those kind of the core… Especially for a team like Chicago who obviously is going to be heading to a rebuilding situation.”
Leite also discussed Chicago’s trading strategy, mentioning how they traded away their 2025 No. 3 overall pick to acquire veteran guard Ariel Atkins. That draft pick turned into Sonia Citron, who earned All-Rookie honors and hypothetically could’ve been a key part of Chicago’s rebuild.
The Sky possessed one of the league’s premier young talents but failed to make the most of a promising roster after falling short of the playoffs with a 10-34 season.
For Reese, nonetheless, this is a fresh start. Expected to provide the Dream with exactly what they need, she became the only player in league history to average at least 12 rebounds per game in each of her first two seasons and brings elite interior toughness to the team.
SEE ALSO: Did Angel Reese Request a Trade From the Sky? WNBA Insider Reveals How the Dream Deal Came Together
Expressing her excitement about joining Atlanta, Reese said, “I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to join the Atlanta Dream organization. I’m focused on continuing to grow my game, competing at the highest level, connecting with the fans, and giving everything I’ve got to the Dream.”
For Atlanta, this means adding a very marketable star to their roster with impressive production, as Reese finished the 2025 season averaging 14.7 points and a league-leading 12.6 rebounds.
