Ex-Gophers guard Kenisha Bell back with Lynx

There were two new faces on the Target Center court for the Lynx's morning shootaround Tuesday. But they were familiar ones.

Both Kenisha Bell and Asia Taylor have worn Lynx jerseys before.

A rash of injuries have hit the Lynx, hard. So hard that the team got two roster exemptions from the WNBA. They were used on Bell — the former Gophers guard drafted by the Lynx this spring — and Taylor, a forward drafted by the team in 2014.

"God brings everything full-circle," Taylor said. "For me to start here, and then for me to come back here."

It's unclear how much either will play, at least right away. The Lynx are currently deeper — and healthier — at guard than they are at forward. Which is why Taylor spent a good bit of time with assistant coaches going over plays following the morning workout.

But both are happy to be back.

Bell, the former star at Bloomington Kennedy High School and the University of Minnesota, was taken in the third round of the draft, but waived by the Lynx before the regular season started. She has kept herself ready playing with a local pro-am team and working out with her former Gophers teammates.

Staying ready, Bell said, "Because you never know what can happen."

Because she spent training camp with the team, Bell is up to speed on the current playbook. She has followed the team closely and has spent time with current Lynx players Odyssey Sims and Lexie Brown.

"I've been in contact," she said.

When she was waived the Lynx told Bell to get some experience playing overseas and that she might find her way back to the team eventually. But injuries have accelerated that process.

"They told me to stay ready, and I think I've been doing that," she said.

Taylor, a third-round pick in 2014, appeared in 22 games with the Lynx as a rookie. In all, she has appeared in 64 games with four teams, most recently with Indiana last season.

She has been working out in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio, waiting for a call of her own. "I have a soft spot for [Reeve], because she drafted me," Taylor said. "I was like, 'Coach, you had me at A-Tay. You didn't have to say anything else.' Coach knows what I can bring. I'm just happy to be here."

The moves were necessitated by season-ending injuries to Jessica Shepard (torn ACL) and Karima Christmas-Kelly (knee) and a calf injury to Damiris Dantas that could keep her out at least two weeks. Also, guard Seimone Augustus, coming off knee surgery, has yet to play this season.

• First returns for the fans' All-Star Game voting are in and two Lynx players are in the top 10: Rookie Napheesa Collier (ninth with 10,543 votes) and Sylvia Fowles (10th, 10,190). Washington's Elena Delle Donne is first with 20,337. Voting by the fans — which makes up 50 percent of the vote to determine the game's 10 starters — ends next Tuesday.