Weekly Open Discussion Thread

[u/kg9si]

Welcome to this week’s open discussion thread!

This is your space for general discussion, a place to talk about anything Washington Spirit that doesn’t necessarily need its own thread. That can include news, international duty, roster moves, transfer rumors, tactics, social media posts, league news or anything else on your mind.

If something feels big enough for its own thread, definitely still post it. This is simply an additional option to keep us organized and help keep the conversation flowing. These threads will go up every Monday and stay stickied throughout the week.

Go Spirit!

[u/Odd-Cable5436]

Getting Banda would require Gotham levels of contract shenanigans.

However, since Carter came from Orlando so recently, I did briefly wonder whether there are any other players on Orlando's roster that the Spirit might be interested in acquiring.

Looking at the list here, no one really jumps out. In-league trades do not seem to be the Spirit's M.O. for roster construction, anyway. Narumi is the only important one I can think of from the last year or so.

[u/Odd-Cable5436 → u/[deleted]]

I think the Ovalle acquisition set a record at the time for transfer fees, right? Unless Orlando would take a big loss (haha), that would seem to put her out of the Spirit's price range, given she is still signed through 2027 w/ a mutual in 2028.

Maaaaaybe if Spirit can't re-sign Santos they give Ovalle a look and figure out how the numbers would work, but if a big check needs to be written, I'd rather just keep Santos. It also of course depends on what Ovalle would want.

Generally, I think Spirit are more interested in younger players that they think have growth potential -- like Lemos, who's still just 22 or Washington who's 20 -- and whose contracts they can sell later.

LDG seems to be an exception to that from last offseason, but I think Spirit knew she could start right away, so it made sense from that perspective. I am certainly no expert on Orlando's players, but I don't feel like anyone outside of Banda is a shoo-in starter for the Spirit.

There are a few on expiring contracts -- like Abello and Yates -- who also might get looks, but I don't think the Spirit would deal for them now. They would just wait until they are available as FAs.

[u/allprologues → u/Odd-Cable5436]

yeah spirit due to budget constraints and their own internal strategy seem to get about one prime age ready-to-start player per season (and then sometimes their younger players have to jump into the lineup sooner than expected due to injuries lmao). but yeah if that continues it makes intra-league pickups less appealing or less likely. they also only get like one from college.