Arella and Sparks
- Thread starter RUfanDNT_rivals
- Start date
Well saw this coming from way back.
I don't see any evidence that she ever signed with them. Transactions list various draftees signing rookie contracts and she is not on the list. Also confusing, since she was an invitee.
There is nothing nefarious going on. It is a very bad year to be a prospect for the WNBA. And as I've said elsewhere, I don't think she did herself any favors late season. That said, it does not preclude a future successful career, such as Laney & Wheeler have gotten into.
Could be she's weighing her options before signing a WNBA contract.
Think a second round draft choice gets paid less than $100,000.
So before committing to the Sparks, Arella might be checking out European League teams and maybe even Chinese teams to see if she can make a higher salary there and bypass her rookie WNBA season..
I think European leagues start after the WNBA season ends, but using that experience might help get a higher salary, than rookie scale, from the Sparks next year
Think a second round draft choice gets paid less than $100,000.
So before committing to the Sparks, Arella might be checking out European League teams and maybe even Chinese teams to see if she can make a higher salary there and bypass her rookie WNBA season..
I think European leagues start after the WNBA season ends, but using that experience might help get a higher salary, than rookie scale, from the Sparks next year
From a couple of days ago, they already waived one of her competitors at guard.
From presser with Coach Fisher today:
ohn W. Davis @johnwdavis
56m
I asked Los Angeles Sparks General Manager and Head Coach Derek Fisher for an update on Arella Guirantes who has not been a part of training camp yet. Fisher said “We’re still working on the clearance with health and safety protocols.” Fisher expects to have an update soon.
ohn W. Davis @johnwdavis
56m
I asked Los Angeles Sparks General Manager and Head Coach Derek Fisher for an update on Arella Guirantes who has not been a part of training camp yet. Fisher said “We’re still working on the clearance with health and safety protocols.” Fisher expects to have an update soon.
A little additional information on the above post, from yesterday's Orange County Register:
ROOKIE DELAYED
The Sparks’ training camp roster is filled to the brim, with 15 players having been invited to compete for 12 roster spots. (That’s not counting Russian center Maria Vadeeva, who is due to join the team after the Olympics.)
Since camp opened Sunday, one of those invitees, however, hasn’t yet had an opportunity to make a first impression.
Rookie guard Arella Guirantes, the dynamic scorer from Rutgers who surprisingly fell to the Sparks with the 22nd pick in the WNBA draft, is waiting to clear the league’s coronavirus health and safety protocol before she can join the team at Academy USA in Glendale, Fisher said.
“We can’t get into too many details,” the Sparks’ coach and general manager said Wednesday. “But just working through clearance on the front end in terms of health and safety protocols and with her coming in from New Jersey, New York. Just making sure everything checks out. That’s really been what the work has been over the last four or five days, and so we’re getting closer, and we should have some information here pretty soon.
“It’s not an easy situation to manage and to navigate, just considering the calendar and where things are, and some of the tough decisions we’ll have to make. But I think we’re getting close to having some resolution there. We definitely would’ve like to have her here as soon as possible, but we’ll see how things go over the next couple days.”
It’s yet another hurdle in front of the 5-foot-11 Guirantes, who, the day after she was selected in the second round, told reporters she planned to use her slide down the draft board as fuel.
“If I didn’t need any more motivation going into this new journey, that was it,” Guirantes said on April 16. “I think they poked the bear. I’m excited. I’ve never run away from a challenge. I think it just adds more to the story, so whoever has the pen, just keep writing.”
Arella is back on the Sparks roster page: https://sparks.wnba.com/roster/
And the WNBA transactions page says she has signed her rookie contract (Though it erroneously says it was signed with the Aces).
Hopefully that means she is cleared to join training camp and can show the coaches what she's made of.
And the WNBA transactions page says she has signed her rookie contract (Though it erroneously says it was signed with the Aces).
Hopefully that means she is cleared to join training camp and can show the coaches what she's made of.
Still going to be very tough to make the cut. Roster size is now at 16, have to get down to 12 by May 13th. They have probably one of the best rosters in the league.
Sparks could go the trade route to reduce roster that would benefit Arellla or a team might feel she would be a good fit for their needs and give up a player or draft choice to get her.
She has talent, so I doubt she'll be on unemployment after the roster cuts start.
I think our worrying is just the way RU Fans think about everything connected to RU sports and make bumps in the road look like someone blockaded the street
She could; injuries are bound to happen, and as a rookie, she'd be cheap (since the salary cap is very much a consideration for many teams)
The Sparks' final preseason game is tomorrow (Sat 5/8) at 4pm Eastern time in LA against Las Vegas... I hope Arella will have a chance to play.
I also hope that she's healthy, and that she was able to work out and practice her skills during the lengthy time that she was out (for undisclosed reasons that involved the league's health and safety Covid protocols), so that she's able to be at her best during the limited time remaining to try to make the team.
I also hope that she's healthy, and that she was able to work out and practice her skills during the lengthy time that she was out (for undisclosed reasons that involved the league's health and safety Covid protocols), so that she's able to be at her best during the limited time remaining to try to make the team.
Apparently Arella didn't appear in the Sparks' final preseason game today. Link to box score of the game is below. Very nice game by Sparks' rookie forward Jasmine Walker.
The way I see it, if the Sparks want the best on the roster, they would keep Arella on the roster. It comes down to those mentioned earlier in another thread:
Arella, Sidney Wiese, Stephanie Watts, and yes,.......Simone Augustus
It's time to move off of Augustus if they want to be competitive this year. She is a WNBA legend, but has seen her better more productive years. You've got Toliver and N.Ngumwike for experience and vet leadership. Stephanie Watts simply is not better than Arella and should therefore not be given a spot.
Here is a key. If Arella can just demonstrate, in the few practices that she will have had, that she can shoot the 3 at a high percentage, she'll get the nod over Wiese. Wiese is a proven 3pt shooter, but in a 4-year career, has not been very productive according to her stats. I just believe Arella and Watts can probably contribute more to the team than Wiese.
Coffey and Holmes may be safe due to their length and athleticism on the wing. Both have that edge over Arella and Stephanie W. While I would think that Coffey is a safe bet to make the roster because she can do a little bit of everything, Holmes may also be one who could miss the cut. Mainly due to being a poor shooter
Arella, Sidney Wiese, Stephanie Watts, and yes,.......Simone Augustus
It's time to move off of Augustus if they want to be competitive this year. She is a WNBA legend, but has seen her better more productive years. You've got Toliver and N.Ngumwike for experience and vet leadership. Stephanie Watts simply is not better than Arella and should therefore not be given a spot.
Here is a key. If Arella can just demonstrate, in the few practices that she will have had, that she can shoot the 3 at a high percentage, she'll get the nod over Wiese. Wiese is a proven 3pt shooter, but in a 4-year career, has not been very productive according to her stats. I just believe Arella and Watts can probably contribute more to the team than Wiese.
Coffey and Holmes may be safe due to their length and athleticism on the wing. Both have that edge over Arella and Stephanie W. While I would think that Coffey is a safe bet to make the roster because she can do a little bit of everything, Holmes may also be one who could miss the cut. Mainly due to being a poor shooter
Good post. Thanks.
Arella has 4 days left... And IF she's been ill (which I don't know) then it's possible that she won't have her legs or stamina fully back for a while, and her shooting may be affected... I hope she's able to show them what she's capable of.
The LA TImes article below was written last night after the final preseason game. The only mention of Arella is that she has yet to practice, and it discusses the Sparks' current situation and possible upcoming roster decisions.
After reading the article referenced in the prior post, it seems that Fisher is really focused on the team path going forward into the future, not just this year. He has said that they want to play the fast-paced, uptempo game that can put pressure on the opponent. You would think that also includes a lot of threes.
To pull that off, he needs some scorers with range to the 3pt line. Jasmine W. has shown that she is made for this league( size and game-wise). Arella is a better scorer than Wiese, Watts, and Bria Holmes. Holmes does other things that make her a tough cut.
Anigwe is one of the few big bodies that they would have, to try to contend with a Liz Cambage, Sylvia Fowles, Tina Charles, etc. Unless they are planning to address that issue through trade.
Curious to know if they have the guts to consider moving on from Seimone Augustus. That is also huge in this situation. If you are thinking about the team's direction going forward, the only way she makes sense on the roster is if she is there to mentor players like Arella, who shows some similarities in playing style.
To pull that off, he needs some scorers with range to the 3pt line. Jasmine W. has shown that she is made for this league( size and game-wise). Arella is a better scorer than Wiese, Watts, and Bria Holmes. Holmes does other things that make her a tough cut.
Anigwe is one of the few big bodies that they would have, to try to contend with a Liz Cambage, Sylvia Fowles, Tina Charles, etc. Unless they are planning to address that issue through trade.
Curious to know if they have the guts to consider moving on from Seimone Augustus. That is also huge in this situation. If you are thinking about the team's direction going forward, the only way she makes sense on the roster is if she is there to mentor players like Arella, who shows some similarities in playing style.