WNBA Draft 2016 Preview: Atlanta Dream

James Jackson

2015 Record:
15-19

Key Offseason Moves:
Acquired Elizabeth Williams from Sun in exchange for No. 4 pick in 2016 Draft

Last Year’s Draft Picks:
1st round/10th overall: Samantha Logic
3rd round/29th overall: Ariel Massengale
3rd round/34th overall: Lauren Okafor

This Year’s Draft Picks:
1st round/11th overall
2nd round/13th overall
2nd round/16th overall
3rd round/28th overall

Season Highlights:

 

Team Needs:
The Dream enter the draft needing a formidable presence in the paint. During the 2015 season, Atlanta finished third-to-last in field goal percentage (41 percent), and tied for fourth-to-last in blocks per game (3.7). The trade of longtime center Erika de Souza facilitated a roster reconstruction around star guard Angel McCoughtry that is still kicking into gear.

That won’t necessarily take place on Draft day. The Dream already played a major card in dealing the No. 4 pick for last year’s No. 4 pick, Elizabeth Williams — an intriguing young piece to pair with the dynamic backcourt of McCoughtry and Schimmel.

If the team is to identify a steal in the second or third round, finding another two-way forward would be ideal. Atlanta loves to push the pace, finishing second overall with 77.8 points per game last season, but they allowed a league-worst 79.8 points in the process.