Betnijah Laney-Hamilton will remain with the New York Liberty after the trade deadline, but the player acknowledged the emotional impact of her current role with the team. The Liberty's second-longest-tenured player, who joined in 2021, described the situation as "a lot" with "ups and downs."
Laney-Hamilton, a former All-Star and starter on the team's championship squad who missed all of last season due to a knee injury, has recently found herself outside of first-year coach Chris DeMarco's rotation. She has not played in six consecutive games and was last on the court on July 12, when she was ejected for throwing a shoe during a loss in Toronto. Her future role remains uncertain.
"It's gonna be game to game," DeMarco stated regarding Laney-Hamilton's playing time. "We're gonna look at everything."
Laney-Hamilton began the season as a starter but had appeared in only 17 of the team's 30 games entering Monday's matchup. She received her first Did Not Play-Coaches Decision (DNP-CD) on June 21, followed by another in the Commissioner's Cup championship win against the Las Vegas Aces.
In her eighth WNBA season, Laney-Hamilton is averaging her fewest minutes per game at 16.8, a significant decrease from the over 30 minutes she averaged for the championship team. Her performance since returning from injury has contributed to her reduced playing time. This season, she is averaging 4.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, shooting 36.2 percent from the field and 24.3 percent from three-point range.
Despite the challenges, teammates recognize her value. Breanna Stewart, a fellow Liberty player, expressed confidence in Laney-Hamilton's contributions. "She's a great player and she's had a really successful career in the WNBA," Stewart said. "Knowing what she can give us on and off the court at all times is really important and special. Even just the way she’s communicating at halftime and giving players options or ideas is really important. For me, that’s advice that I want to hear."