The New York Liberty’s roster underwent a makeover on Wednesday, as a trade involving 2019’s No. 2 pick led to the long-awaited return of Marine Johannes.
BROOKLYN-The New York Liberty might’ve gained the city’s most valuable French gift since the one depicted in their logo on Wednesday afternoon.
New York, winners of three of its last four games, announced had big roster news involving two of its rookies from the 2019 season: AD, the second overall pick of that season’s WNBA Draft, was traded to the Atlanta Dream while Marine Johannes was re-signed to a rest-of-season contract.
From Atlanta, the Liberty get back the rights to international forward Raquel Carrera and the contract of Megan Walker, the latter of which has been waived. Walker previously played the 2020 season with the Liberty after arriving as the ninth overall pick in the 2020 draft.
Both AD and Johannes each joined the team during its first year under Joe Tsai’s ownership and did not partake in WNBA action in either of the last two seasons. AD made their return to metropolitan hardwood this season after a long-term case of COVID-19 while Johannes partook in European affairs, including her first Olympic appearance with the French national squad (winning a bronze medal in Tokyo last summer).
The trade to the Dream marks a homecoming for AD, a Douglasville, GA native who ironically appeared as a future member of the team in a local commercial aired prior to their 2007 debut. AD averaged 6.8 points and 1.3 assists over two seasons. Their rookie campaign in 2019 featured some promising moments (the most memorable being a 20-point outing in a win over Minnesota) but a hip injury limited them to 18 games.
AD’s struggle with long COVID had been documented on HBO’s Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel. They appeared in 10 games with the Liberty this season, averaging 1.4 points over seven minutes.
“AD is truly one of the best people I have had the honor to know,” said Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb said in a team statement. “Seeing them grow and come into their own over the years has been so heartening. Their perseverance is second to none, and I wish them nothing but the absolute best as they enter the next chapter of their WNBA career.”
AD’s departure preceded the return of Johannes, who established herself as a sharpshooter almost immediately upon her late entry into the Liberty lineup during the 2019 season. Shooting 38 percent from deep, Johannes averaged 7.2 points and 2.4 assists over 19 contests, which included consecutive showings of 20 points late in the year. She has spent the past three years working with Lyon of Ligue Féminine de Basketball in addition to her work with the national group.
Johannes has lingered on the Liberty’s minds despite her absence. Kolb, for example, praised her for playing “the best basketball of her career” in the aftermath of the 2020 draft lottery. She has reached double figures in scoring in each of her last three LFB seasons and helped guide Lyon to an appearance in LFB’s championship round.
Carrera, the 15th overall pick in the 2021 draft, has yet to make her WNBA debut but has previously collaborated with current Liberty star Rebecca Allen with Valencia Basket in Spain. While likewise en route to a league championship appearance, the 20-year-old Carrera put in 6.6 points and 3.6 rebounds over 16 contests.
The Liberty (4-8) will return to action on Friday night when they battle the Indiana Fever on the road (7 p.m. ET, YES).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
Baseline Sports NY is on Twitter @Baseline_NY
