Lynx trade for Natisha Hiedeman, reportedly sign Courtney Williams
The Lynx bolstered their guard depth via a couple of different avenues Wednesday.
Minnesota traded for Natisha Hiedeman and reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with Courtney Williams.
The Lynx acquired Hiedeman from Connecticut in exchange for Tiffany Mitchell and Minnesota’s 2024 second-round pick.
Hiedeman, whom the Lynx first drafted with the 18th pick in 2019, has 37 career playoff appearances and was a starting guard for Connecticut during its run to the 2022 WNBA Finals.
Hiedeman averaged 8.5 points, 2.7 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game last season.
Williams gives Minnesota a legitimate option at point guard, a position where the Wolves have been thin in recent years. Williams was also on Connecticut’s finals team. Last year in Chicago, Williams averaged 10.4 points, 6.3 assists and six rebounds. The former first-round pick was an all-star in 2021 for Atlanta.
Khristina Williams of Girls Talk Sports TV first reported the Williams’ signing.
The Lynx also announced forward Jessica Shepard will miss all of the upcoming season. Shepard, who averaged 10.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists for Minnesota in 2023, plans to remain in Italy to fulfill her contract commitment with her club team. That decision means she cannot play in the WNBA in 2024 due to the league’s collectively bargained prioritization rules.
Minnesota retains Shepard’s exclusive negotiating rights for future contract talks.
The loss of Shepard makes Minnesota’s free-agent acquisition last week of forward Alanna Smith all the more important, as Smith will play a major role in the Lynx’s forward rotation.
