Tracking WNBA free agency: Chicago Sky acquire Rickea Jackson and send Ariel Atkins to Los Angeles Sparks

It’s a busy week in the WNBA, with more than 80% of the league’s players out of contract entering free agency.

A three-day window for free-agent negotiations opened Wednesday, and any signings or trades can become official Saturday. The Chicago Sky got an early start on their roster makeover by trading All-Star forward Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream on Monday for a pair of future first-round picks.

Here’s the latest Sky news in free agency.

• 3 priorities for the Sky in WNBA free agency after trading Angel Reese
• Sky to hold training camp downtown following delays to completion of new Bedford Park facility
• Column: Institutional failure sent Angel Reese out of Chicago. Sky owner Michael Alter must break cycle — or sell.
• Sky trade Angel Reese for 2 future 1st-round picks, starting yet another rebuild
• Sky move out of the WNBA expansion draft with trades to Portland and Toronto
• Inside the WNBA’s 8-day, 100-hour marathon negotiations that forged a transformational deal

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Sunday: Sky complete trade for Rickea Jackson

The Sky rounded out their frontcourt by trading for 2024 No. 4 pick Rickea Jackson, sending Ariel Atkins to the Los Angeles Sparks to complete the deal.

Jackson, a 6-foot-2 forward, has major upside entering her third WNBA season after averaging 14.7 points, 1.7 assists and 3.2 rebounds in her second year with the Sparks. She adds strong perimeter shooting (34.8% from 3-point range) to the Sky alongside fellow forward Azurá Stevens.

“It’s thrilling to acquire one of the great young talents in this league in Jackson,” GM Jeff Pagliocca said in a statement. “Rickea is only going to continue to ascend, and the organization is excited to witness that growth firsthand.”

The Sky frontcourt will now consist of Jackson and Stevens, centers Kamilla Cardoso and Elizabeth Williams and second-year forward Maddy Westbeld.

The trade ended Atkins’ short tenure in Chicago with a much-needed return on investment. The Sky originally traded away the No. 3 pick and a 2027 pick swap in the 2025 draft to acquire Atkins from the Washington Mystics. The No. 3 pick was ultimately used on Sonia Citron, a valuable, young two-way guard. And if the Sky can’t pull themselves out of the lottery this season, the pick swap could force the team to give away yet another top-five pick.

The Sky were willing to take this gamble to invest in a veteran leader who could improve the locker room and the team’s leaguewide reputation as a free-agency destination. Atkins struggled during her one year in Chicago as she shouldered an undue amount of playmaking responsibilities due to the injury absence of Courtney Vandersloot. Atkins averaged 13.1 points last season — her lowest production since 2019 — while posting a career-high 3.6 assists per game.

Although Atkins will not return to the team, the Sky were able to utilize the core qualifying mechanism to retain the guard as an asset on the trade market. This maneuver softened the potential fallout of the trade — but Jackson’s future in Chicago and the outcome of that 2027 pick swap will ultimately determine the success of the gamble.

Saturday: Sky bring back guard Rachel Banham

Guard Rachel Banham re-signed with the Sky on a one-year, $425,000 deal, per sources, rounding out the backcourt with another veteran who can bring 3-point shooting acumen.

The guard spent the last two seasons in Chicago and helped to shoulder ballhandling responsibilities last year, which pulled her out of her typical shooting guard responsibilities. Banham had the best season of her career despite playing out of position, averaging nine points and 2.7 assists. She also netted 86 3-pointers last year, the second-highest single-season total in Sky history.

Entering her 11th WNBA season, Banham, 32, is the latest addition to a veteran Sky backcourt, which will feature veterans Skylar Diggins and Courtney Vandersloot alongside second- and third-year guards Hailey Van Lith and Jacy Sheldon.

Saturday: Veteran Skylar Diggins joining Sky on 2-year deal

The Chicago Sky signed seven-time All-Star guard Skylar Diggins, who will offer immediate playmaking savvy. The deal is for two years, according to a source.

She averaged six assists in 2025 — good for fourth in the league — in addition to 15.5 points in her 11th WNBA season.

“Diggins is the kind of player who elevates everyone around her,” coach Tyler Marsh said in a statement. “Skylar is a true veteran leader, and she possesses unmatched speed and shot creation potential. I can’t wait to work with her.”

Chicago Sky to hold training camp downtown following delays to completion of new Bedford Park facility

The Tulsa Shock selected Diggins with the No. 3 pick in the 2013 draft after a standout career at Notre Dame, and she was named to the All-Rookie Team. The guard played three seasons in Tulsa before the franchise was relocated to Dallas, where she spent the ensuing three seasons. Diggins went to the Phoenix Mercury from 2020-22, then spent the last two years with the Seattle Storm. The 35-year-old missed two seasons — in 2019 and 2023 — while on maternity leave.

Diggins had a breakout second season in 2014, earning her Most Improved Player honors, and she is a four-time All-WNBA First Team selection. She has maintained her accuracy from behind the arc, shooting 36.5% from 3-point range last year. Although her scoring average declined in Seattle compared with her previous five seasons, Diggins is still a productive scorer — a major need for the Sky.

The South Bend, Ind., native is averaging 16.4 points and 5.3 assists in her career.

Diggins is expected to join fellow point guard Courtney Vandersloot to create a veteran-led backcourt for a Sky team attempting to create consistency in its offensive system. Vandersloot, 37, is still recovering from a torn ACL and is not expected to be available for the start of the season, leaving Diggins to carry the bulk of playmaking duties.

Saturday: Sky trade 2028 first-round pick for Jacy Sheldon

The Sky traded their natural first-round pick in 2028 to the Washington Mystics in exchange for guard Jacy Sheldon.

This is Sheldon’s fourth WNBA team. She was the No. 5 pick of the Dallas Wings in 2024, then traded to Connecticut and Washington. Sheldon, 25, is a strong 3-point shooter, hitting at a 35.1% clip from behind the arc, while averaging 6.3 points, 2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in two seasons.

“Jacy made an impression on us with her toughness, competitiveness and ability to compete on both ends of the court,” general manager Jeff Pagliocca said. “She has proven to be a great young player who can shoot the ball and defend in this league. Jacy fits what we are looking for seamlessly.”

Saturday: Azurá Stevens signs on a three-year deal

Forward Azurá Stevens is back in Chicago on a three-year deal.

Stevens was an important piece of the Sky’s 2021 championship team, averaging 9.8 points and 6.9 rebounds as a starter during the playoff run. She spent the last three years with the Los Angeles Sparks, averaging 12.8 points, 8 rebounds and 2.3 stocks (steals combined with blocks) in that span. Stevens, 30, is a notable defender who has also stretched her perimeter game, shooting 38.1% from 3-point range in her time in Los Angeles.

Her return gives the Sky a notable stamp of confidence from a former player, reflecting the team’s efforts to improve their standing in the league through key investments such as a new training facility.

“I’m truly excited to be coming home to join the Chicago Sky,” Stevens said in a statement. “This city means everything to me. The culture, the people, the passion for the game. To have the opportunity to come back to Chicago is amazing. I’m ready to get to work, embrace the moment, and give everything I have.”

Stevens will join Kamilla Cardoso, Elizabeth Williams and Maddy Westbeld in the frontcourt, an area of the roster the Sky are still working to build out through free agency and trades this weekend.

Friday: Center Elizabeth Williams re-signs on a two-year deal

Williams is returning to the Sky on a two-year contract, sources confirmed to the Tribune.

The center re-signed on a deal worth $1.2 million over two years, per a report from ESPN’s Chiney Ogwumike.

Williams played the last three seasons in Chicago but missed most of 2024 due to a torn meniscus. She moved to a backup role in 2025 behind second-year center Kamilla Cardoso, averaging 8.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in 43 games. A strong rim protector and rebounder, Williams will provide necessary depth to a Sky team working to rebuild its frontcourt.

In addition to providing consistency on the court, Williams is a crucial source of stability in the Sky locker room. She served as secretary for the WNBA players association throughout the most recent collective bargaining negotiations, helping to cement a groundbreaking contract that shifted the landscape of the league.

Thursday: Sky in talks to trade Ariel Atkins for Rickea Jackson

The Sky could take a major swing on the trade market to kick off free agency this week.

According to a report by Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports, the Sky are engaged in conversations with the Los Angeles Sparks about possibly trading guard Ariel Atkins for forward Rickea Jackson. If the sides agree to a deal, it could be finalized Saturday on the first day of the free-agent signing period.

Jackson, the No. 4 pick in the 2024 draft, is a versatile forward who could balance out the frontcourt after the Sky traded forward Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream on Monday. The 6-foot-2 Jackson is a strong 3-point shooter who can score at all three levels.

The Sky extended Atkins a core qualifying offer Monday, a mechanism that allowed them to retain exclusive negotiating rights. Atkins could accept the core offer of a one-year, $1.4 million supermax contract, but she and the Sky also have the option to negotiate a longer-term contract at a lower salary — or a trade to another team.

Column: Institutional failure sent Angel Reese out of Chicago. Sky owner Michael Alter must break cycle — or sell.

Using the core mechanism to trade Atkins would avoid a worst-case scenario for the Sky: allowing Atkins to walk in free agency after trading the No. 3 pick in last year’s draft to acquire her from the Washington Mystics. That deal represents the greatest gamble Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca has made in his two-year tenure.

The Sky acquired Atkins for one season without any future guarantees, with the expectation she could improve the backcourt while helping amend veteran opinion of the Sky as a landing place for free agents. The Mystics, meanwhile, used the No. 3 pick to select Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron, who was named an All-Star as a rookie.

Atkins averaged 13.1 points last season, her lowest production since 2019, though she did post a career-high 3.6 assists per game while shouldering greater playmaking responsibilities due to the absence of injured point guard Courtney Vandersloot. Atkins also was diminished during the latter part of the season by a calf strain, which sidelined her for several weeks.

If the Sky complete this trade, they could have at least six players on rookie contracts this season — Jackson, Kamilla Cardoso, Hailey Van Lith, Maddy Westbeld, Ajša Sivka and their 2026 first-round pick — which would provide extensive flexibility under the salary cap.