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Mystics trade idea brings in All-Star guard as Kelsey Mitchell alternative
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- Mystics trade idea brings in All-Star guard as Kelsey Mitchell alternative
Mystics trade idea brings in All-Star guard as Kelsey Mitchell alternative originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
When -- if -- Kelsey Mitchell reaches free agency, the Washington Mystics are expected to be one of the teams interested in signing her.
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But competition for the All-Star guard will be fierce, and the Indiana Fever is hoping to re-sign her.
If the Mystics lose out on Mitchell, Washington will have to find another avenue to inject some high-level scoring ability into what is arguably the WNBA's top young core.
MORE: Wings trade idea adds WNBA champion sharpshooter to help Paige Bueckers
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report has proposed that the Mystics could offer their 2027 first-round pick -- which could be as high as first overall -- as well as a 2028 first-rounder to the Toronto Tempo in exchange for the expansion franchise's All-Star guard Marina Mabrey.
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Mabrey's value has never been higher. She enjoyed a career year in 2026 , even though the Tempo was one of the WNBA's worst teams. However, despite her comfort in Toronto after bouncing around the league to begin her career, Mabrey just turned 30 years old, and she may not align with the Tempo's long-term plan for championship contention.
Despite reaching the playoffs as the No. 5 seed in 2026, the Mystics will have a top-four pick after acquiring that selection in the ill-fated Ariel Atkins trade with the Chicago Sky .
Offering that pick to Toronto for Mabrey would give the Tempo two picks in the top four, and the franchise already has the joint-best odds to pick first overall in 2027.
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For Washington, Mabrey's shooting ability naturally complements Sonia Citron and Georgia Amoore, and the Mystics would be able to maintain their bruising interior game built around Shakira Austin and Kiki Iriafen.
Mabrey isn't a strong defender though, and Washington's identity has been built on its defense. But to progress to the next level, the Mystics might have to make a sacrifice to find pure scoring.
