It looks as though the relationship between Marina Mabrey and the Connecticut Sun continues to break down after the veteran guard’s recent trade request.
The franchise have had a difficult offseason with several players leaving and the coach parting ways. As a result, Mabrey has made it clear that she believes her time with the franchise is over as well.
However, things have quickly turned ugly as the Sun have rejected Mabrey’s request. As a result Mabrey’s agent, Marcus Crenshaw, has slammed the Sun by calling the move “mind-boggling.”
“In this current age of women’s empowerment and support of the players, the CT Sun threatening to force Marina Mabrey to play for them after her trade request is mind-boggling,” Crenshaw told ESPN.
“Why would anyone try to force someone to play on their team when they don’t want to be there? It’s counterproductive in a ton of ways and everyone we have spoken to is perplexed about how they are handling Marina, after trading away Hall of Fame caliber players.
“The coach parted ways. No free agents returned and they are doing all they can to try and force Marina to stay when she clearly doesn’t want to be there. It’s interesting.”
Sun making big changes
Although the Sun have been competitive in recent years, making eight straight playoff appearances and six straight semifinal berths, they haven’t won a title after making the finals twice.
As a result the franchise have completely overhauled the team, with head coach Stephanie White leaving in order to coach Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
In terms of player personnel, Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, Brionna Jones, DiJonai Carrington and Ty Harris are all gone.
The decision means the Sun are the first WNBA or NBA team since 1970/71 to lose all five starters from their last playoff game in the previous season as per ESPN.
As for Mabrey, Sun president Jennifer Rizzotti told ESPN that the assets used to acquire Marina from the Chicago Sky last season factors into their reluctance to let her go.
“The reasons that we have for not trading Marina are rooted in positivity,” Rizzotti said.
“It’s rooted in a desire to build around her, have her here, have her be the catalyst for what we want to do offensively, taking advantage of her versatility, knowing that the style that (coach) Rashid (Meziane) plays with will suit her game, and knowing that we can put her in an individual situation to be really successful as this current CBA closes and a new one opens.”
Mabrey averaged 14.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game last season.
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