Quigley to miss season opener
Sky coach/GM James Wade officially ruled Allie Quigley out for the season opener Friday against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Quigley has been limited in practice and said there isn’t anything specific keeping her out of the game, just a feeling of not being 100%.
Wade said the decision is precautionary. “We want to make sure we’re very careful with her,” he said. “She’s probably not at 100%, and we want to make sure she’s there.”
Quigley expects to be ready by the third game, which is the Sky’s first road game of the season — May 14 against the Minnesota Lynx.
Wade also made his final roster cuts, waiving Masseny Kaba, Kathleen Doyle and Emmanuelle Tahane. That puts the Sky’s roster at 11 players, but four of them are still out of the country.
Kahleah Copper, Julie Allemand and Rebekah Gardner are finishing their overseas commitments and are expected to return in mid-May. Li Yueru’s arrival is slightly less solidified because she’s working to secure a visa. Her agent, Mike Cound, said she’s expected to be with the team by the end of the month.
Their absence drops Wade’s roster to seven, which is below the league’s required 10 for a game. That allows Wade to apply for an emergency hardship exception. Once granted by the league, he can sign players to replacement contracts. Wade said he has applied for four exceptions and plans to sign Kaela Davis, Tina Krajisnik, Anneli Maley and Sparkle Taylor.
Players need to clear a 48-hour waiver window before they can sign a new contract, which is why Wade waived them Wednesday. Once Copper, Allemand, Gardner and Li join the Sky, the players signed to replacement contracts will need to be waived.