The Washington Mystics are sending forward Aaliyah Edwards to the Connecticut Sun in exchange for Jacy Sheldon, and the right to a first-round pick swap in 2026 the teams announced Thursday.
However, the picks do not involve either of the club’s own first rounders. Instead, they involve the additional firsts which each has acquired from previous deals. At the end of the day, Washington will have the choice of keeping the Minnesota Lynx’s first rounder, or swapping it for the New York Liberty’s first rounder, which is currently owned by the Sun. Minnesota and New York currently sit 1st and 2nd respectively in the WNBA standings.
The deal marks the 2nd major trade for the Mystics in the span of less than a week, as the club previously jettisoned veteran Brittney Sykes to the Seattle Storm in exchange for Alysha Clark and Seattle’s 2026 1st rounder.
“Bringing Aaliyah to the Connecticut Sun is more than just a roster move; it’s a statement about where we’re headed as a franchise,” Sun general manager Morgan Tuck said in a statement. “Aaliyah is a transformational talent with the mindset and drive that aligns with our vision of building a championship culture. What truly sets her apart is the way she leads, connects, and competes. Aaliyah is the kind of person and player who can help redefine the future of this organization and we’re ready to build that future together.”
Edwards has seen her minutes decline in Washington this season after averaging 7.6pts/1.4ast/5.6reb per game as a rookie in 2024. As a 21 year old, she saw 21.8 minutes per night, but in her sophomore campaign the 6’3″ forward has seen that fall to 13.3 minutes per contest as she battled through wrist and back injuries.
Washington’s front court had also become a bit of a logjam as well, with Kiki Iriafen, Shakira Austin, and Stefanie Dolson all fighting for minutes alongside Edwards. By acquiring guard Jacy Sheldon, the Mystics front office hopes to create a better rotation for their core players.
Sheldon was Dallas’ 5th overall pick in 2024, but was traded to the Sun this offseason. Across 28 games this season, the native of Dublin, OH, has averaged 7.5pts/1.9reb/2ast per contest.
“We are excited to welcome Jacy to the Mystics and think her skill set, energy, and team-first approach will be a great fit for us,” Mystics general manager Jamila Wideman said in a statement. “She is a competitor and leads through the example of her work-ethic. She has built on her solid rookie campaign and demonstrated an ability to shoot the ball and read the game on both ends of the court.”
Connecticut believes that Edwards has some untapped potential ahead of her, as evidenced by her 2nd place finish in the Unrivaled 1v1 tournament this past offseason.
Washington is next in action on Friday night vs. the Minnesota Lynx, while the Sun travel to Los Angeles to take on the Sparks Thursday evening.
Photo: John Mac. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.