Lynx hire former San Antonio Stars assistant to replace Jim Petersen

As she does with most major decisions, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve talked to her captains when it came to hiring an assistant coach to replace Jim Petersen, who stepped down in late January.

When the name James Wade came up, she got some good reactions. Rebekkah Brunson and Seimone Augustus had crossed paths with Wade while playing in Europe over the years.

So that made Thursday's hiring of Wade an easy one.

"It will be an easy transition for him," Reeve said. "And for our players. I think that's what we were looking for."

Wade emerged as a top candidate early. The 41-year-old Memphis native graduated from Kennesaw State in 1998; he played professionally overseas in the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Spain, the Czech Republic and Belgium from 2001-13. He joined the San Antonio Stars as a coaching intern in 2012. A year later he began a four-year run with the Stars as assistant coach, where he coordinated the Stars defense and was responsible for leading individual player development. With the Lynx he will be involved in scouting, talent evaluation and player development.

"He has to learn us, obviously," Reeve said. "But he has the ability to provide the same things Jim did — game stuff, preparation, player development. He's good at all of that. Of course, I don't want him to be Jim. I want James to be James."

Wade is married to former WNBA guard and French national team member Edwige Lawson-Wade — they have a son, James III — and has dual citizenship in France and the United States.

As it sits now, it appears the Lynx — who are carrying a number of veterans — will likely carry 11 players this season.

Of those, nine of the spots seem set. That list includes starters Lindsay Whalen, Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles, Augustus and Brunson. Reserves Natasha Howard, Renee Montgomery, Jia Perkins and free-agent signee Plenette Pierson are also apparent locks. Reeve said that, because of salary cap constraints, the final two spots would have to go to players on entry-level contracts.

That could signal the end of Janel McCarville's time with the team. Another veteran, guard Anna Cruz, has Spanish national team commitments, won't start the season with the team and might not play for the Lynx this summer. Keisha Hampton, a 6-1 forward, is also on the roster.

"We have to figure out what else can we do in the post, with the draft, or signing a free agent that's still out there," Reeve said. "We have to determine that."

• Brunson, who initially did not play overseas, has joined a team in Turkey for the last half of the European season.