Angel Reese powered the Chicago Sky through a rough 2025. And there’s no doubt about it. Reese snagged a rare double-double record and All-Star nods while leading the league in rebounds. But her blunt comments on the team’s direction landed her a suspension and strained locker room ties.
As the Sky wrap a dismal 10-34 season without playoffs for the second year running, Reese’s future hangs in the balance, with trade whispers growing louder by the day.
Angel Reese Exit Interview Skipping Fuels Chicago Sky Trade Drama
While the Sky’s season is already down and dusted, the latest twist came Monday when Reese, Ariel Atkins, and Courtney Vandersloot skipped their scheduled exit interviews. The trio reportedly ditched a plan for separate sessions from the rest of the team.
The Sky’s front office had set up separate exit chats for Reese, Atkins, and Vandersloot after the group’s regular session on September 12, but that fell through, leaving reporters hanging and rumors swirling.
Update from the Sky:
— Annie Costabile (@AnnieCostabile) September 22, 2025
Courtney Vandersloot, Ariel Atkins and Angel Reese will no longer conduct exit interviews. The team previously said these three would hold exit interviews at a later date after they did not participate with the rest of the team when the season ended.
Though it was not a personal decision, GM Jeff Pagliocca hinted that Vandersloot, fresh off an ACL tear, would stay for 2026. However, Reese’s half-game suspension on September 7 for “detrimental” remarks about the team’s vets and roster needs paints a different picture.
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Reese’s frustration boiled over in a September 3 Tribune interview, where she questioned leaning on Vandersloot at 36 and called for “great players” to avoid another losing year. The Chi Town Barbie made it clear that she’d bolt if things didn’t change. That led to the suspension in their loss to the Aces. However, Reese later apologized to her teammate after admitting her frustration with her.
Hypothetical Trade Idea For Angel Reese
Despite a hit and a miss from the star rookie, things now stand at a whole different point. Chicago’s woes trace back to a botched 2025 draft when they traded the No. 3 pick for Ariel Atkins, who delivered but now tests free agency.
While that spot became Sonia Citron, a slashing guard who’d pair perfectly with Reese’s rebounding prowess, Reese’s 14.7 points and 12.6 boards led the league, but the Sky’s 10-34 skid and another coaching swap scream rebuild. Trading her could net draft capital to core around Kamilla Cardoso and reset the franchise.
According to rumors, one landing spot could be the Washington Mystics. They missed the playoffs and ranked third-worst in rebounds at 33 per game, just 2.5 shy of Chicago’s mark. Reese slots in seamlessly alongside Citron, whom they’d keep under control for two more years.
Chicago grabs the better of Washington’s three 2026 first-round picks plus a second-rounder, stacking assets for a youth movement. So let’s just not push it too far. Waiting for the team’s final decision would be a better viewpoint.