2013 Lynx roster is set

The 2012 Lynx roster is set. Turns out the team is taking a fairly large gamble by going small.

Rookie free agent center Shawnice Wilson was waived Thursday, bringing the Lynx roster to the league-mandated 11-player limit.

The Lynx chose rookie guard Ta'Shauna "Sugar'' Rodgers – the team's second-round draft choice (14th overall) – ahead of Wilson, opting to go with another perimeter player rather than another player in the post. That means the Lynx will start the season with only four true post players in Janel McCarville, Rebekkah Brunson, Amber Harris and Devereaux Peters.

Why?

"As you look at the league and look at what's important, it's a guards' league," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. "It's a guards' game."

That means there will be four new faces on the team this season. Center McCarville, who was acquired in an off-season trade is the first. The others are rookies Rodgers, first-round draft pick Lindsey Moore and rookie Rachel Jarry, who has come to the WNBA from Australia.

Reeve said both Jarry and Maya Moore have the flexibility – especially on defense – to slide into the post, which made the decision easier.

Rodgers was slowed by some bumps and bruises in the week prior to the team's first preseason game, which she missed to attend her college graduation. She scored six points on 2-for-6 shooting (2-for-5 on three-pointers) with four rebounds and an assist in the preseason loss to Connecticut earlier this week.

Rodgers, primarily a two guard, showed some shooting ability throughout camp.

"And I don't think she' s shown the best of Sugar yet because she was out for that period of time," Reeve said. "I think she can defend with some quickness. She can shoot, which is really important."

Meanwhile:

--Both McCarville (left ankle) and Lindsey Moore (calf) returned to practice Thursday, though both were not yet 100 percent. "If we were up and down the court they probably would have been more limited," Reeve said. "But we did a lot of half-court execution, which I think was good for everybody."