Rotation re-arrange: young Storm team sees a few changes to roster as month of June ends
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA – The two days to close out the month of June brought a few different roster moves for the Seattle Storm, which includes a potential one that technically has not been fully announced as of yet. With how young this team is in terms of actual age and chemistry; the Storm will have to continue to work on that chemistry and how they play with each other while they work on their rotations in a year where they’ve largely been counted out before a whistle was ever blown. Head coach Noelle Quinn and the Seattle coaching staff have had to make several decisions when it comes to their roster, and that now includes a few changes as we’re fifteen games into the season.
Seattle Storm forward Mercedes Russell battles with Las Vegas Aces forward Candace Parker on 2023’s opening night (Photo by Mathew Bermudez)
Starter swap
In last night’s contest, Storm head coach Noelle Quinn decided to take Mercedes Russell out of the starting lineup after having her in that spot for the past five games and opt for the recently improving Joyner Holmes at the power forward position. It was an interesting decision, as while Holmes has seen some solid games recently, it’s unclear if those have been starting numbers per say. While Russell hasn’t necessarily been “stand-out” for the Storm this year her play recently has seemed to be coming back to the form of her 2021 season that saw her consistently flirt with a double-double when not actively recording one. It was a unique decision that could be looked at in a few ways, especially considering that Russell didn’t see any minutes at all, but Seattle has been moving their rotation around all year long.
While Holmes didn’t contribute with points in this game, she was able to add four rebounds and an assist while racking up six fouls. Against a team that has Napheesa Collier, it’s a tough matchup to ask of Holmes who is seemingly trying to come into her own, and I’ll have to reserve any sort of judgement until she’s had a few games to start, but it will surely draw some intrigue in these first few games. Some fans around social media have expressed disdain for Russell as a starter, but that sort of comment is typically uneducated given her entire situation. It’ll be interesting to see how this swap plays out for Seattle, but considering the potential that Holmes has to stretch the floor and with her size, I can foresee it playing out well.
Seattle Storm guard Arella Guirantes in the teams preseason battle against the Phoenix Mercury (Photo by Mathew Bermudez)
Guirantes gone
Prior to the start of the game against the Lynx, we found out that the Storm had decided to waive guard Arella Guirantes. This is tough on multiple levels, but given the amount of playing time that she’s gotten as of late (next to none outside of garbage time against the Mercury), it isn’t necessarily out of nowhere. When the season began, it seemed like Guirantes and now-former Storm player Kaila Charles were battling for that final spot with both players getting limited minutes in the first few games. Eventually, when Joyner Holmes became available, the Storm decided to part ways with Charles to bring in the forward. Guirantes is the next domino to fall, making way for the potential move that we discuss in the next section.
It’s a tough move considering that Guirantes has always been viewed as a player that just needed the right opportunity in the WNBA, and many were hoping that Seattle was that right fit considering how little was guaranteed on this roster. That never truly played out here with the Storm, as Guirantes played sparse minutes over the time she was here and often had to fight for minutes. I would be lying if I said I don’t want to see her back here at some point, but another team likely takes a flyer on her soon.
Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams against the Minnesota Lynx on August 3rd, 2022 (Photo by Mathew Bermudez)
Welcome back Williams?
A report came out this morning via TheNextHoops.com that the Storm are bringing back forward Gabby Williams. A move that many hoped would happen this offseason given Williams potential and budding play on both ends of the court, there was a month of the season when there were questions swirling about whether or not she would return to the WNBA and sign with Seattle, with a week where it seemed to tetter-totter on yes and no’s. The season then progressed on after it seemed like a done deal that she wasn’t going to return and the Storm wanted to push forward with the current group that they had, although Seattle head coach Noelle Quinn seemed to keep optimism that something was going to be worked out.
According to TheNextHoops, “Williams is only able to sign with Seattle because she negotiated a suspension of her EuroLeague contract with French club ASVEL right before the WNBA’s opening-night prioritization deadline of May 19; had she fulfilled her contract to completion, she would have played through May 22, missing the deadline by which to finish other basketball obligations and thereby becoming ineligible to play in the W in 2023.” With that being said, Williams is supposed to be signed within the coming days, which would be made possible by Guirantes being waived. It’ll be very, very interesting to see if this becomes reality as it definitely helps the Storm IMMEDIATELY talent wise and she’s already familiar with the organization after being a key contributor here last season.