The Lynx will select six players in the WNBA draft Monday, barring a trade or two for future picks.
It hardly seems fair, but the reigning league champions have more picks than any team and more quality picks than any team aside from Los Angeles.
The Lynx have two first-round picks, the third and 12th, and five of the top 20, picks stockpiled mostly through trades. Don't expect more than one rookie to make the roster, though.
"If we get surprised, that would be wonderful," said Roger Griffith, the Lynx executive vice president, "but it's not our expectation that anybody other than [No.] 3 will make the team. When we look at the draft, we don't see anyone better than the 10 players we have. This is not a draft of premier-level players. It's more of a draft of role players."
The Lynx have four returning WNBA All-Stars plus center Taj McWilliams-Franklin, who turned 41 shortly after their playoff run. "Taj is a phenomenon, and we expect her to be a phenomenal again," Griffith said.
The bench has such veterans as guards Candice Wiggins and Erin Thorn, an offseason addition, and promising young players.
"We feel like we have great balance, have talent and depth at each position," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said.
As for the team's biggest needs, Griffith lists two: more size inside and a post player who can shoot from the outside. He said a "truly, truly big player" might not be available this year -- 6-8 Brittney Griner of Baylor and 6-5 Elena Delle Donne of Delaware are juniors -- while an outside shooting post might already be on the Lynx team.
