WNBA Better Trades for 2007

The tone for the 2007 WNBA season was set on draft day, when better trades ruled the afternoon event. It isn't often that teams will trade the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the draft, but it happened in the often topsy-turvy world of women's professional basketball.

There had been a rumor floating around for weeks that the Phoenix Mercury was eager to trade the No. 1 selection. Will they or won't they? It was one a quandary. Does it make better trades to have the rights to an obviously talented player and trade it away? Or does it make more sense to hang on to the player and watch them develop on the court and become a complete professional. These are the sort of questions that general managers ask when offering up better trades.

The Mercury actually held onto their pick. Sort of. They selected Lindsey Harding, a point guard from Duke, with the No. 1 pick in the draft. But Phoenix had barely made the announcement when it traded Harding to Minnesota in exchange for veteran forward Tangela Smith. What sort of better trade was this? Turns out Phoenix was looking for more experience in the lineup and saw a good fit with Smith. Minnesota was happy to make the better trade for Harding, who has a strong on-court presence and knows how to distribute the ball.

Trading the No. 2 pick was even more surprising, since New York sent Becky Hammon, one of the league's true stars, to San Antonio for Jessica Davenport and another No. 1 pick. San Antonio had just selected Davenport, a center from Ohio State.

During the season, the Los Angeles Sparks traded Lisa Willis to the New York Liberty for Sherill Baker, who was the 12th overall pick from the 2006 draft. Baker, a product of the University of Georgia, averaged 7.4 points as a rookie. Willis, the No. 5 pick in the 2006 draft, averaged 4.6 points as a rookie. Both teams made better trades in this regard, since each player was expected to receive increased playing time and a fresh opportunity.

The Washington Mystics traded Chastity Melvin to the Chicago Sky for Monique Currie. Melvin, a veteran center, had a career average of 11 points and 5.5 rebounds. Currie, an experienced guard from Duke, averaged 14.5 points in her first two seasons. This move met needs for each team and was deemed a better trade for the Mystics and the Sky.