Rumors

The Connecticut Sun ownership intends to present multiple options to the WNBA as it looks to salvage what would have been a record-breaking $325 million franchise sale, sources with knowledge of the situation told ESPN. The Mohegan tribe, which has owned the franchise since buying and relocating the Orlando Miracle in 2003, is seeking clarity on the league's desired path forward for the organization, sources said, after an agreement to sell the team to a group led by former Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca was met with resistance from the league office. After news broke of the deal's existence -- and Pagliuca's eventual plan to relocate the franchise to Boston -- a league statement emphasized that "relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams," and that cities that have already gone through the expansion process have priority over Boston, which did not submit an expansion bid in any of the three recent expansion rounds over the past three years. Among the Mohegan tribe's likely proposals to the league, according to sources: • A full franchise sale to Pagliuca's group. • A sale to a group headlined by former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry, who would move the team to Hartford, Connecticut. • Selling a minority stake in the organization. • Allowing the league to purchase the franchise for $325 million and relocate it from the WNBA's smallest market.

ESPN

Gov. Ned Lamont is hoping to woo NBA Commissioner Adam Silver as Connecticut continues to make its case to keep its only major league team. The WNBA has still not yet approved a sale for the Connecticut Sun. The Mohegan Tribe repeated its statement that it’s pursuing investment opportunities and that it can’t comment on potential sales.

NBC Connecticut

Steve Pagliuca: Here’s an important update on our possible acquisition of the Connecticut Sun.

x.com

The Mohegan Tribe’s ambition to sell and relocate the Connecticut Sun to Boston for a record $325M has created tension within the league office, sources said, leading to a terse WNBA statement Saturday that the nine cities who lost recent expansion bids “currently have priority over Boston” and inferring that the Tribe could be forced to sell to one of those cities instead. Those sources said that the Sun, over recent months, has shunned other cities that have inquired about buying the team -- refusing to take meetings with bidders outside of Boston, for instance -- and “hasn’t been great in how they have handled” the prospective sale. “They just don’t feel like the league has any control over their process,” the source said. “It will get much worse before it gets better.”

Sports Business Journal

WNBA basketball could be in Boston permanently by 2027 as a Boston-based group led by Celtics minority governor Steve Pagliuca has reached a deal with the Mohegan Tribe to move the Connecticut Sun to TD Garden, according to multiple sources involved in the transaction.

Boston Globe

The offer follows a surge in national attention for Cunningham after a hard foul against the Connecticut Sun in June, where she appeared to step in as an enforcer to protect rookie phenom Caitlin Clark. Cunningham was fined but gained notoriety and a wave of endorsement interest. Cunningham, 28, joined the Fever in February after spending five seasons with the Phoenix Mercury. Known for her outside shooting and gritty play, she’s averaged 7.3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game over her WNBA career.

thesportingtribune.com

Eight-time WNBA All-Star and three-time Olympian Tina Charles is signing a one-year deal with the Connecticut Sun as a free agent, sources told ESPN on Sunday. With the move, Charles returns to the franchise that initially drafted her No. 1 overall in 2010, where she spent the first four seasons of her career and won league MVP in 2012.

ESPN

The WNBA — coming off one of its most successful years ever in terms of attendance and attention — had 12 teams this season; seven of those teams currently do not have coaches. The Dallas Wings are about to hire their fourth coach in seven seasons. The Atlanta Dream made the playoffs; they let Tanisha Wright go anyway. The Indiana Fever, with Caitlin Clark coming off her record-setting rookie year, fired Christie Sides over the weekend after a 1-8 start was turned around into a playoff berth. And on Monday, the Connecticut Sun and coach Stephanie White parted ways after back-to-back trips to the WNBA semifinals.

Associated Press

Ball Don't Lie: Part owner Dwyane Wade pulled up to watch his Chicago Sky play the Connecticut Sun 👏 (via @WNBA) pic.twitter.com/b7S9ECcrcU

Twitter

Sorry, Big3 fans ... WNBA coach Stephanie West believes you will NOT see Caitlin Clark in the 3-on-3 league this year -- this despite the obvious temptation of Ice Cube's $5 MILLION offer. The Connecticut Sun head coach told Harvey and Charles on "TMZ Live" on Wednesday she feels the legacy Clark can build in the WNBA will ultimately trump the Big3's cash when it comes time to make a decision.

TMZ.com

But, White -- who played five seasons in the WNBA before becoming Sun coach in 2023 -- said if she were in Clark's shoes ... the decision would be a relatively easy one -- albeit one her wallet wouldn't love. "I'm kind of a purist," she said. "I love the WNBA. I probably would've chosen the WNBA as well and then I would've kicked myself financially for the rest of my career."

TMZ.com

For one night next August, the home of the Boston Celtics will become the home of the Connecticut Sun. The Sun will play a regular season home game at TD Garden on Aug. 20, 2024, in an exciting collaboration between the WNBA franchise and its NBA counterpart. Connecticut hinted at a potential August 2024 game in Boston earlier this month, but now the date is set, with a start time set for 7 p.m. ET against an opponent to be determined when the WNBA schedule comes out later this month.

nbcsportsboston.com

The WNBA playoffs have practically been an infomercial for Becky Hammon’s brilliance as a head coach. She has the Aces two wins away from their first WNBA championship going into Tuesday night’s game against the Connecticut Sun. Her in-game decisions have been flawless – if you want to know how to run plays out of a timeout, go back and watch the end of Game 3 of the semifinals against the Seattle Storm – and no less than LeBron James has taken notice. Impressive as Hammon has been, however, it raises a question: What the hell were the Portland Trail Blazers and Orlando Magic doing in passing her by? And what’s the excuse for all the other sad-sack NBA teams that didn’t even bring her in for an interview? “I have not,” Aces owner Mark Davis told USA TODAY Sports when asked whether he’s heard from any jealous NBA owners. “But I’m sure they’re sitting there thinking, 'Hmm, why didn’t I think of that?’ ”

USA Today Sports

Clutch Points: The Connecticut Sun and Phoenix Mercury came together to hold a moment of silence for 42 seconds following Brittney Griner's sentencing today 🙏 pic.twitter.com/mS2tgKTvZH

Twitter