Mystics trade Ariel Atkins to Sky for No. 3 pick, more

The Washington Mystics traded two-time All-Star guard Ariel Atkins to the Chicago Sky for the No. 3 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, the teams announced Sunday.

The Mystics also received the rights to swap 2027 first-round picks with Chicago as well as the Sky's 2027 second-round pick.

The move kickstarts a rebuild in D.C. after Washington narrowly missed the playoffs and parted ways with general manager Mike Thibault and coach Eric Thibault earlier this offseason. The Mystics have the Nos. 3, 4 and 6 picks in this year's draft, and if they retain them, it would be the most first-round selections in franchise history.

The deal, Mystics general manager Jamila Wideman told ESPN, is "in many ways ... a clear reflection of our commitment to build toward a new era."

"It's a great time if your plan is to draft, develop, nurture and compete," Wideman said. "The future of this game is bright. A lot of those lights are shining right now in college, certainly ... you have to position yourself to become a destination for the best talent the game has to offer. We felt like this year and this year's draft was a tool we could use to do that. As we look forward, we believe the same is true for upcoming drafts as well."

The Sky look well positioned to return to the playoffs in 2025, with general manager Jeff Pagliocca revamping Chicago's roster to complement second-year players Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso.

After signing former franchise stalwart Courtney Vandersloot, Chicago has looked to surround her with more offensive threats, also acquiring Kia Nurse, Rebecca Allen and now Atkins -- all known for their strong 3-point shooting.

"Ariel has made a tremendous impact on this league since her rookie year," Pagliocca said in a statement. "She is an excellent role model for her teammates and an all-star caliber contributor. As one of the league's top defensive specialists and a consistent scorer, she is a threat on both ends of the floor who will help us build a playoff-contending team in Chicago."

A 2019 WNBA champion with the Mystics and 2020 Olympian, Atkins has averaged 13.4 points (including 36% shooting from 3) and 3.0 rebounds for her career and boasts five All-Defensive team nods. She played her first seven seasons in Washington, which selected her at No. 7 in 2018 out of Texas, and was the last member of the Mystics' 2019 championship squad that delivered the franchise's first and only title.

Atkins is entering the final year of her contract as a new collective bargaining agreement with anticipated salary bumps is expected in 2026. Under current CBA rules, she would be eligible to be a core player by Chicago after this season.

The trade marks the first major transaction for the Mystics new front office. The organization hired Wideman and new coach Sydney Johnson at the end of December, formally introducing them at a news conference earlier this month. But prior to Sunday, the Mystics had been quiet in free agency aside from signing Emily Engstler, Sug Sutton and Taylor Soule to training camp contracts.

Wideman said she and Johnson had been waiting for an opportunity with long-term benefits.

"We are looking to move with intention and to move with excellence and admittedly towards [something] not necessarily as quickly as possible, but to do it as well as possible," Wideman said. "Our ultimate north star here is to build an organization that can nurture sustainable contention and not just a flash in the pan."

With Brittney Sykes, Stefanie Dolson, and Karlie Samuelson still under contract, Wideman said they "wouldn't hesitate" to act if future moves that align with their goals arise.