Layshia Clarendon will be re-signed by Lynx after strong 2021 season

Layshia Clarendon, whose leadership, physical play and excellence in the pick-and-roll game helped propel the Lynx to a top-four WNBA finish last season, is coming back to Minnesota.

A league source said the 30-year-old point guard has agreed to contract terms to return to the Lynx this season. WNBA teams can begin announcing free agency deals starting Tuesday.

The Lynx began the 2021 season 0-4 before signing Clarendon, who had been released by New York. Initially signed to a series of hardship contracts, Clarendon was eventually signed for the entire season.

Minnesota went 15-5 over the next 20 games after that 0-4 start.

Unfortunately, Clarendon never fully recovered from a stress reaction injury.

Clarendon finished the season averaging 10.4 points, 5.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game, shooting a career-high 51.7% from the field.

It would appear the Lynx have a strong start to free agency with the apparent return of center Sylvia Fowles and the addition of Angel McCoughtry.

The Star Tribune, citing league sources, reported earlier Fowles had decided to return for a 15^th season. Then she posted on Instagram a picture of her in her Lynx uniform and the word, "home."

Last week a league source said the team and McCoughtry — a five-time All-Star who missed last season because of a knee injury — agreed to terms on a free-agent contract.

All are important moves. Fowles, a perennial All-Star, won her fourth defensive player of the year award last season. Clarendon's addition got the Lynx offense flowing. And McCoughtry, a high-energy forward, could go a long way toward replacing the contributions of Napheesa Collier, who is about to have her first child and will likely miss the entire season.

Also in the likely starting five are Aerial Powers and Kayla McBride. Powers, who dealt with a hamstring and thumb injury last year, came on strong at season's end, averaging 19.6 points and shooting 51.5% over her final seven games. McBride averaged 13.7 points last season, her first with the Lynx.