The Lynx reshaped their roster Friday, trading away three former first-round draft picks while acquiring one of the most prominent players in Minnesota high school history.
The WNBA club completed three separate trades that featured the return to Minnesota of former Rochester Mayo High School star Kelly Miller and the departure of center Nicole Ohlde, guard Lindsey Harding and forward Vanessa Hayden-Johnson.
And the Lynx might not be finished. Minnesota CEO Roger Griffith and coach Don Zierden left open the possibility of trying to acquire Coco Miller from Washington to reunite Minnesota's most famous basketball twins.
"You never rule out anything," Zierden said. "But it won't happen this weekend. I'm going home to get some rest."
Zierden said the club didn't plan on such a busy day, but "things just kind of fell in place." In the day's first trade, Hayden-Johnson, a restricted free agent, was signed and dealt to the Los Angeles Sparks for 6-3 forward Christi Thomas, whose playing time had been reduced by the arrival of Candace Parker.
Then the Lynx sent Ohlde to Phoenix for Miller and center/forward LaToya Pringle. Zierden said the club had been trying to acquire Miller for some time, believing her backcourt experience as an eight-year veteran would complement youngsters Candice Wiggins and Seimone Augustus.
Miller's arrival made Harding expendable, so the club sent the 2007 No. 1 overall pick to Washington for the Nos. 9 and 15 picks in this year's draft. The Lynx also own the No. 4 pick.
"Lindsey is going to be a great player, but we liked Kelly's experience at point guard," Zierden said. "Until today, Seimone [entering her third season] was our most experienced player in the backcourt."
