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What will be on Tyler Marsh’s plate as the Sky’s new coach?
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What will be on Tyler Marsh’s plate as the Sky’s new coach?

Every coaching vacancy in the WNBA offers opportunities and presents challenges.

Some may argue that this is no longer the case in Chicago, due to the circumstances leading up to the Sky job vacancy. The Sky are the only franchise to introduce their fourth head coach in two years following the resignation of former coach/general manager James Wade mid-season last year, making way for interim coach Emre Vatansever, who was passed over to make room for Teresa Weatherspoon.

After 11 months, Weatherspoon was fired. The instability in Chicago has created an undesirable quality in job postings. However, the young talent, the draft and the ability to influence the direction of the franchise are intriguing.

Tyler Marsh – who Sky hired on Saturday – will have his hands full from the jump. First on Marsh’s to-do list will be tackling the expansion draft on Dec. 6 with general manager Jeff Pagliocca.

The new Sky tandem is the subject of daily discussions. Although the roles of coach and general manager are separate, early signs indicate that Marsh and Pagliocca have a very collaborative relationship. Expansion draft rules allow teams to protect six players on their roster, regardless of their free agency status.

Four of the six players Sky are likely to protect are obvious. Elizabeth Williams, Kamilla Cardoso, Angel Reese and Lindsay Allen are all locks to protect. The other two will largely depend on which direction Marsh and Pagliocca want to take in the sky. They could end up protecting a player like Isabelle Harrison, but the forward is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the new year. Protecting players like Harrison means teams always run the risk of losing them in free agency.

Heaven could also negotiate with the Valkyries to execute some sort of trade via the expansion project. Lists of protected players must be due before November 26. Between then and December 5, the Valkyries will be able to execute trades with existing teams. Everything from a deal to select a player just to trade him to another team to a deal to not select a certain player is on the table.

Another item on the to-do list will be to create a development plan for his young stars and an overall idea of ​​how he wants to use them in 2025.

Cardoso has already proven that she can one day be the dominant player in the league. With Marsh’s influence, she could also become one of the best passers. During his rookie season, Cardoso demonstrated his ability to come out of the post. She rarely thinks about putting the ball on the ground first. Expect Marsh to develop this skill set.

As for Reese, expect to see his face-up game develop. During his rookie season, efficiency was one of Reese’s biggest challenges. However, when Reese confronted his opponent before attacking the rim, the outcome was more favorable in many cases. Sealing defenders in the post and the footwork needed to finish or get to the free throw line will be another priority, as well as developing his ability to play the ball in transition.

Finally, Marsh’s championship experience will help him accomplish one of the most critical tasks: influencing ownership.

Marsh comes from the best organization in the WNBA when it comes to investment and player experience in the Aces. Before that, he spent years in the NBA, including a stint with the Raptors during their playoff season. championship in 2019. The Sky needed a coach who could come in and set high expectations for how the franchise would operate. Like Wade, who arrived in Chicago in 2018 after winning a WNBA championship with the Lynx, Marsh could be that guy.