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New York Liberty: A Black Friday Wishlist

What can the New York Liberty do to make their path to the playoffs a little easier? We take an early look at the offseason's road ahead.

Geoff Magliocchetti

In its quest to find the items on its Black Friday wishlist, the New York Liberty won't have to deal with stampeding crowds and camping out in the immediate aftermath of Thanksgiving dinner. 

Instead, they'll face much more dangerous threats that nearly every holiday celebrant can sympathize with: their 11 sisters in the WNBA. 

In spite of its relatively dreary conclusion, the most recent Liberty season wrapped with an aura of hope. It came with the burden of a three-game series defeat at the hands of the defending champion Chicago Sky but the Liberty hosted the ultimate housewarming party to cap things off, entertaining a sellout crowd with an ultimately futile yet lively comeback effort in the opening round of the WNBA playoffs. 

That game was the current culmination of the Liberty's return to play within city limits after three years of nomadic basketball (two years at Westchester County Center for the joining the Association's Bradenton bubble) following their parting of ways with The Madison Square Garden Company. New York previously reached the playoffs on the final day of the season in 2021 before clinching by their own power last year. 

The WNBA offseason process ... unofficially underway with the draft lottery earlier this month ... won't hit a fever pitch until free agency begins weeks later. What will the Liberty look for? In honor of Black Friday, here's an early look ...

For Sabrina: Veteran Depth

The 2022 season was Sabrina Ionescu's professional breakout campaign after her rookie year was mostly erased by injury and her sophomore season endured a few overuse hiccups. En route to the playoffs, Ionescu earned All-Star and second-team All-WNBA honors and also joined Candace Parker in rarified triple-double air. 

Ionescu took on an expanded leadership role last season with All-Star nucleus Betnijah Laney missing a majority of the campaign with a knee injury. While she embraced and hurdled most, if not every, challenge thrown at her, the Liberty could certainly use some assurance so Ionescu has a minute to catch her breath. 

Since the release of Layshia Clarendon, the Liberty have mostly operated with younger options behind Ionescu, which was noticed by seafoam-branded reps in the season's aftermath. Forward Natasha Howard believed that an experienced option off the bench would help the team "balance the floor."

Does salvation lay within? The Liberty enjoyed unexpected clutch minutes from 2020 Rookie of the Year Crystal Dangerfield. Ionescu offered her seal of approval for her draft classmate at several points last season, claiming that she "(took) a lot of pressure off my shoulders." 

Fellow point woman Sami Whitcomb is the team's only unrestricted free agent. Notable, experienced, realistic names available in the department from abroad will include Sydney Colson and Erica Wheeler. 

For Stef and Tash: Inside Scoring

The Liberty ledgers are dominated by the efforts of women in the interior, such as Tina Charles, Rebecca Lobo, Tari Phillips, and Sue Wicks. Lately, however, the Liberty have been primarily sustained by relentless efforts from the outside: each of their last two teams set the WNBA record for most in a single season, sinking 349 last year.

Exciting as triples may be, the Liberty have expressed a desire to see more production from the interior, deeming it vital in terms of reaching the goal of a higher playoff seed. Last season, the Liberty's percentage of points in the paint (39.5) ranked 11th, as did their opponent's offensive rebounds per game (8.9). 

Signing a champion paint prescience like Stef Dolson was a good start (particularly when she came up big during the final push for the postseason) and the 6-10 Han Xu, despite a lanky frame, enjoyed a breakthrough year in her own right. Han will be a restricted free agent in addition to offensive sensation Marine Johannés. 

But management has hinted at desires to see a more diverse game if they're going to move forward. If it means not making some outside shooting history, so be it. 

Reigning Sixth Player of the Year Brionna Jones will be one of the most coveted assets after a breakout campaign in Connecticut. The Liberty would also love to benefit from Jones' defense, but, of course, a downright legendary collaboration could linger on the horizon: many have tried to attach Syracuse native Breanna Stewart to the Liberty, especially as her current employers in Seattle move into the post-Sue Bird era. Will it finally come to fruition this around? In another case of having what one has been looking for the whole time, the Liberty have high hopes for 2022 first-round pick Nyara Sabally, who spent the past season rehabbing.  

For Jocelyn: Health & Clarity

This one, alas, is something one can't find in a store or on any free agency ledger. 

Another 2020 draftee, Jocelyn Willoughby arrived in New York through a draft night trade with Phoenix. Though she found a bit of a rhythm at the end of bubbled proceedings in Florida, a torn Achilles tendon cost her an entire sophomore season. She got off to a solid start last season before a knee injury ate away at two more months. 

Willoughby has a tremendous skill set, primarily making a name for herself at Virginia via gritty plays whether they get her a rebound or a chance at the foul line. It's fair to perhaps wonder if Willoughby's basketball future lies in New York or beyond, as her raw potential would make her prime trade material (perhaps part of a package with Brondello's former compatriots in Phoenix if they ship Skylar Diggins-Smith?)

Willoughby herself sounds excited for what the future holds in New York, though, labeling both her individual and team developments as ones "of growth." 

"We're still growing, still building, still more to be done. But I think this year's a step in the right direction," Willoughby said. "It was definitely a year of perseverance. I think I've grown a lot on the court. I definitely learned to be more patient. Comparison is a thief of all joy...I think I learned to really be grounded in my own process and experience. Focus on growing each day."

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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