The New York Liberty made no moves at the WNBA trade deadline, a decision that has raised questions given the team's recent performance and lingering injuries. However, players and coaches expressed unwavering confidence in the current roster's ability to compete for a championship.
The Liberty, who entered Monday's game against the Storm holding the final playoff spot, have struggled recently, losing eight of their last 10 games. Their defensive rating has been among the league's worst over the past month, and they hold a 1-4 record in their last five games against winning teams. This downturn follows a first-round playoff exit less than a year ago, prompting concerns about wasting the prime years of star player Breanna Stewart, who is nearing her 32nd birthday.
Despite these factors, the team's core believes they possess the necessary talent. "I'm not too privy on all of the trade situations, but obviously we know we have enough here," Stewart said. "We need to build that confidence with all the players that we have. It’s kind of like one of those things where it’s like, ‘Alright, this is it. Now let’s move forward. There’s nothing else. Let’s keep going.’ It’s business as usual. This is it. This is our group."
Several key players have been sidelined for significant portions of the season. Sabrina Ionescu missed the first five weeks with an ankle injury. Forward Leonie Fiebich has been out since July 3 with a foot injury, and three-time All-Star Satou Sabally has been in concussion protocol since June 25.
"[Fiebich] continues to progress," head coach Chris DeMarco stated. "I can’t wait to get her back. She’s doing more and more every day. Saw Satou today. She had a good individual workout. She looks good out there. Good news there." While there is no definitive timeline for their return, the general manager's inaction at the deadline suggests an expectation of their eventual return to bolster the team for the stretch run.
Ionescu echoed the sentiment of confidence in the team's existing makeup. "This is the team that was put together from the beginning," she said. "Sometimes when trades happen this late it can make or break a season. You never know what can happen, the fit that you have. We’re lucky to know that our consistency is gonna stay the same."
She added, "We haven’t let trade talks and all that stuff get in the way of our chemistry, our locker room. We’re really happy and confident with the players that we have here that are committed to winning, understanding the buy-in that we have to have from everyone."
While other teams, like the Phoenix Mercury, made significant trades, the Liberty opted to trust their current squad. Sportsbooks still list the Liberty among the top championship contenders, trailing only Minnesota and Las Vegas. Fan support remains strong, with the Liberty ranking among the league's attendance leaders despite their inconsistent first half of the season. The team appears to be approaching the remainder of the season with the belief that their true potential is yet to be realized.
"Nothing’s changed," DeMarco said. "We love the players in our building and we have full confidence that we’re gonna be playing our best basketball when it matters."