Sky trade Tamera Young and Imani Boyette to Dream in exchange for Jordan Hooper and 1st round pick
The Atlanta Dream traded forward Jordan Hooper and its 2018 first-round pick to the Chicago Sky for center Imani Boyette, forward Tamera Young and the Sky’s 2018 second-round selection Monday afternoon. The league’s trade deadline was 5 p.m. ET.
“It is tough to give up a shooter like Jordan Hooper but we need help rebounding,” head coach Michael Cooper said. “[Imani] Boyette provides us size with the ability to defend and rebound, while [Tamera] Young is a veteran presence, who is a hard-nosed player that can not only rebound but also knock down the mid-range jumper.”
Young, currently in her 10th season in the WNBA, returns to the team that drafted her eighth overall in the 2008 WNBA Draft. The first pick in Dream history, she started 21 games this season and averaging a career-high 10.2 points per game in 29.0 minutes, while grabbing 3.8 rebounds. Boyette, who is in her second year in the league, is averaging 4.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 22 games this season.
Hooper, who joined the Dream on June 8 in a trade with the Connecticut Sun, averaged 2.6 points in 6.2 minutes for Atlanta. A 6-2 forward from Nebraska, she was selected 13th overall in the 2014 WNBA Draft by the Tulsa Shock.
Atlanta also announced they have not resigned guard Chelsea Hopkins, who finished her second seven-day deal with the team.
“Hooper is a versatile shooter who is skilled at both forward positions,” said Amber Stocks, the Sky’s general manager and head coach. “Gaining an additional first-round pick to our already talent rich 2018 roster, further strengthens our impact.”
The Dream with a 10-13 record are currently eighth in the league standings. If the team wants to secure a playoff spot they must hold at eighth or move up in the standings. Atlanta travels to Minnesota Thursday for a game against the Minnesota Lynx at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The team returns home August 8 to host the Lynx at 7 p.m. ET.
The Sky are 8-16 and currently second-to-last in the league and have a slim-to-none chance of qualifying for the playoffs. Chicago travels to Indiana Friday for a 7 p.m ET contest against the Fever who are also 8-16. The Sky return home to face Atlanta the next day at 8 p.m. ET. Both games will be streamed on League Pass and broadcast on The U Too.
