WNBA star sent to New York Liberty in a massive win-win trade

Natasha Cloud will join the defending champions, while the Connecticut Sun will receive the No. 7 pick in the 2025 draft.

The Connecticut Sun have traded Natasha Cloud to the New York Liberty in exchange for the No. 7 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, the team announced Sunday night. The Sun, who acquired Cloud in the trade that sent longtime franchise cornerstone Alyssa Thomas to the Phoenix Mercury, stocked up on draft capital, while the Liberty bolstered their already-talented roster with one of the game’s elite two-way players.

Cloud has averaged 8.6 points, 5.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1 steal in he 9-year WNBA career, 8 of which were with the Washington Mystics. An elite perimeter defender, she was named to the All-Defensive First Team once, and boasts two All-Defensive Second Team selections (2019, 2024). She won a WNBA championship with the Mystics in 2019, and will bring that experience to a locker room now intimately familiar with winning it all.

The Athletic reported that Cloud had requested a trade soon after landing in Connecticut. Cloud told reporters in an Unrivaled media availability that she didn’t expect to be traded after signing a deal with the Mercury.

“I just want the best situation for myself and my family moving forward,” she said. “And I just want to be in an organization that truly invests from top to bottom, facilities, team, location, all of that. I want to compete for championships.”

In New York, Cloud will certainly get the chance to compete for one.

Natasha Cloud bolsters an already-stacked New York Liberty roster

The Liberty will look to defend their franchise-first WNBA title, and now bring another elite player into the fold. Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, and Jonquel Jones headline the charge, but Cloud will provide an additional strong perimeter defender and playmaker, which is especially-needed considering the fact that Courtney Vandersloot signed with the Chicago Sky this offseason.

“We could not be more excited to welcome Natasha Cloud to the New York Liberty family,” said Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb. “Tash is someone who we identified years ago as a prime fit for our team and embodies everything we look for in a player.”

Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images

“She has always left a lasting impression on the Barclays Center crowd, and we look forward to seeing the best fans in the WNBA embrace her on a nightly basis. Tash will undoubtedly strengthen our roster on both sides of the ball as we pursue another title in 2025.”

In addition to Vandersloot, the Liberty lost veteran forward Kayla Thornton this offseason, who was selected by the Golden State Valkyries in their expansion draft. Cloud will provide a scoring punch and a veteran presence that should aid the franchise as they pursue back-to-back titles.

For the Connecticut Sun, the trade brings in additional draft capital

The Sun now own both the No. 7 and No. 8 picks in the 2025 WNBA Draft, in addition to last year’s No. 5 overall pick, Jacy Sheldon. The move further signals the Sun are entering a rebuilding mode after losing their entire starting lineup this past offseason. The Sun retained veteran guard Marina Mabrey, and signed Hall of Fame center Tina Charles, but will mostly have young talent around them. Offloading a veteran player who wanted out in exchange for more young talent seems like a no-brainer move.