Training Camp Notebook - Apr. 30

It was a quiet Friday at The Furtado Center as the Seattle Storm practiced without five veteran players - guards Sue Bird and Betty Lennox and forwards Adia Barnes, Lauren Jackson and Sheri Sam. Though that meant the Storm had none of its projected starters on the court - starting center Kamila Vodichkova remains overseas - Coach Anne Donovan maintained that it did not have to do with who she expects to start.

Frierson's surgery was successful. Jeff Reinking/WNBAE/Getty

"This was a day where I needed to evaluate more players," Donovan explained. "I have an evaluation on all the players that were sitting on the sideline. It didn't have anything to do with starters or anything like that."

With a mandatory cut due May 4 to pare the roster to 15 players, Donovan wants to get a good look at the players fighting for some of the last spots on the Storm's roster. Holding out her veterans enabled her to do that.

"It was much easier today with five people sitting on the sideline," Donovan said. "It was much easier. We can really look at matchups that we're going to know who's going to make this team based on the matchups that we're seeing."

That meant pitting players who are fighting for the same position, like potential backup point guards Tully Bevilaqua and Stacy Clinesmith, against each other when the Storm scrimmaged.

Jackson, who returned to Seattle on Wednesday, had planned to get back on the court this morning, but is still battling travel-related fatigue. She is expected to practice for the first time this evening, and the other four players will also resume practicing.

The same issues of evaluating players and having too many bodies in camp played a major role in Donovan's decision to waive point guard Lindsey Wilson yesterday, the first cut the Storm has made so far during training camp.

"We had 10 guards, all trying to get through drills, and we had Lindsey, Tully and Stacy working for the backup point guard spot, so it's just too many players trying to get reps," Donovan said. "We made the evaluation that Lindsey was the first one (to go), lack of experience for one reason, she wasn't going to win out, so we decided to go ahead and let her go and see if she can head someplace else and make a team."

Cutting Wilson was difficult for Donovan, because of the improvement Wilson had made over the winter since spending last summer as a practice player for the Storm. Donovan said she would be happy to describe that improvement to any coaches that call to express interest in Wilson, hoping to help Wilson find a spot where she's more likely to make a roster. If that doesn't work out, there will again be a spot on the practice squad for the Seattle native.

Rookie forward Trina Frierson underwent successful surgery on her left knee yesterday.

"Trina had a good surgery yesterday," Donovan said. "They went in there, no surprises, and now it's just a matter of some rehab. They've said six to eight weeks (until Frierson can resume playing basketball). Seeing her walk in here today, I sure wasn't thinking six weeks when I saw her, so we'll see where it goes.

"I'm optimistic."

Frierson has already begun the rehab process, which she will continue throughout training camp.