Just four days before their season begins, the Lynx announced two trades — including one with Chicago Sky, who Minnesota will face in Saturday's opener.
The Lynx are sending a third-round pick in the 2020 WNBA draft to Chicago in exchange for center Alaina Coates, who should provide depth to their frontcourt. They also dealt their 2020 second-round pick to Phoenix in exchange for 6-2 forward Stephanie Talbot.
Minnesota also announced it has waived forward Jillian Alleyne, who signed in February, and guard Kenisha Bell, the former Gopher who was their third-round pick in last month's draft.
The 6-4 Coates was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft but missed that season with an ankle injury. She appeared in 32 games for Chicago in 2018, averaging 3.4 points and 3.2 rebounds. She was a four-time All-SEC player in college at South Carolina, helping the Gamecocks to the NCAA title in 2017 as a senior.
Talbot, 24, appeared in 31 regular season games and started all four playoff games for the Mercury last season. She shot 38.6% from three-point range for the season.
