The Chicago Sky continued to adjust their roster ahead of the season opener. In their latest move, the team signed veteran guard Natasha Cloud, and in a separate move, waived sophomore Hailey Van Lith.

Van Lith's exit follows Angel Reese's trade to the Atlanta Dream in April, making her the second first-round pick to leave the roster this offseason. These two moves suggest a significant change in roster direction.

According to ESPN, sources indicated that Van Lith's waiving was based on the coaching staff's "style-of-play preference." The Sky selected Van Lith with the 11th overall pick in the 2025 draft with an ambition to strengthen the backcourt. She came in with a lauded college career and praise from Kobe Bryant during her high school years.

However, Van Lith’s stay remained short following a rookie campaign hampered by an ankle injury. In the meantime, the Sky added veteran experience to the side. Natasha Cloud reportedly signed a one-year deal for $555,000, per ESPN.

Cloud brings ball-handling, defensive abilities, and depth to the roster. Speaking of her inclusion, Sky’s GM Jeff Pagliocca said, “She fits in with the other proven winners on our roster.”

Moreover, Natasha Cloud, in her free agency on 26th April, expressed her mindset through social media posts. In a Threads post, she wrote, “I have yet to speak. That's intentional & my power. I've just worked. No sulking. No whining, work.”

With the latest call, Cloud is starting her 11th year in the league.

What went wrong for Hailey Van Lith?

Last season, Hailey Van Lith came into the league with a lot of expectations set on her. It was unavoidable because of her resume. The guard's accolades included Big 12 Player of the Year, All-Big 12 First Team, AP Third-Team All-American, and more.

However, these accolades didn’t reflect in her rookie campaign. She recorded 3.5 ppg in 12.4 minutes per game in her 29 appearances. Apart from her recurring ankle injuries, she also struggled with poor shooting (33.9/16.1/74.2) and lacked the athletic skill and experience to compensate for her small size.

Fortunately, that doesn’t mean the end of the road. With the league’s latest expansion, including teams like Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, she may get a roster spot soon before the season opener. 

At the same time, the Sky roster has 14 players with 2 spots available for developmental roles. Chicago might end up bringing her back on one of these.

Read more at She Got Game!

Written by

Shahul Hameed

Edited by

Siddharth Rawat