After finishing last in the WNBA, winning only seven of 28 games, it might seem that the Utah Starzz would be looking for wholesale personnel changes.
That's not the case.Coach Denise Taylor, assistant Greg Williams and VP of Basketball Operations Scott Layden apparently aren't in a swapping mood as the Feb. 4 trading deadline approaches. That's also the date on which the Starzz, and the other charter members of the year-old league, must turn in their lists of the six players on their rosters that will be protected from the Feb. 18 expansion draft.
Rosters will be "frozen" on Feb. 4. The draft will be conducted via teleconference.
No team can lose more than one player in that expansion draft that will help stock the WNBA's two new franchises, the Detroit Shock and Washington Mystics.
Taylor said Tuesday that the Starzz have talked with all players who were on last season's final roster, and she said all are expected back and that the Starzz are planning no trades between now and next Wednesday.
"Scott talks (trades) to people every day," said general manager Tim Howells, "but we don't have anything imminent."
That means Taylor, Williams, Howells and Layden must choose six untouchable players from last season's roster and expose the other four to the draft.
All WNBA personnel are prohibited by the league from disclosing the protected lists, under penalty of fine and forfeiture of draft privileges.
So, who would the WNBA's worst team want to keep as building blocks for next season? Forward Wendy Palmer - the team's leading scorer (15.8), rebounder (8.0) and thief (47 steals) - is likely the most valuable returnee. Center Elena Baranova (12.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 63 blocked shots) didn't like the physical play inside in the North American game but is obviously an important player. Guard Kim Williams (8.1 ppg) was one of the league's quickest and most athletic talents and should be better now that she'll be a veteran.
Point guard Tammi Reiss has been chosen to play in this weekend's NBA All-Star Weekend 2-Ball competition with Karl Malone, so it's likely she's among the protectees.
Guards Dena Head and Lady Hardmon, both international veterans, didn't always live up to their reputations but, along with forward Deborah Carter, they gave the Starzz some very good play at times, and all of them started some or most games. One of the three will likely be unprotected.
Forwards Greta Koss (shooting), Jessie Hicks (physical presence) and Karen Booker (intensity) each lent a little different look to the Starzz but may not have had the consistent complete game that would warrant protection.
Howells said the Starzz still have no idea whether they'll get the No. 1 choice they earned in this season's regular player draft (probably in late April), or whether the league will give the top choice to one of the expansion teams. He also doesn't know when that WNBA decision will be made, but he said that doesn't frustrate him. "I'm more interested in what the final decision is," he said. "We've done a pretty good job lobbying and presenting our logic of where we think we should be, but there's been no indication that they have made a decision."