The Lynx wound up the first week of training camp Sunday, a week spent with most of the Lynx regulars not yet with the team. By Tuesday the roster should be complete, with Lindsay Whalen, Janel McCarville and Seimone Augustus here with Maya Moore after finishing up their seasons overseas.
As Lynx mainstays arrive, final spots on roster are in play
Decisions on two roster spots could be decided based on play in tonight's exhibition vs. Australia.
May 5, 2014 at 12:22PM
That's what makes Monday's preseason game against the Australian national team at Target Center so important for so the players trying to win the final roster spots on the team.
With Monica Wright still on the mend from knee surgery, there is a good chance the Lynx will go with a 12-player roster when the regular season starts May 16. The top five of Moore, Whalen, Rebekkah Brunson, McCarville and Augustus is set. Tan White and Devereaux Peters figure to be the top guard and post player off the bench. Second-year guard Lindsey Moore appears to be a lock to make the team, and top draft pick Tricia Liston should make it, too.
With Wright mending, that takes up 10 of those 12 spots. Brazilian forward/center Damiris Dantas has been impressive in camp and figures to stay. So that leaves several players vying for one final roster slot.
And Monday could be their final chance.
"They have to show it," coach Cheryl Reeve said after a very strong Sunday practice.
Such players as Asya Bussie, Asia Taylor and Waltiea Rolle are trying to convince Reeve to make that final spot a post player, with Christina Foggie and Theairra Taylor trying to convince Reeve to keep an extra guard.
The team scrimmaged on Saturday, giving Reeve some extra evaluation time. But Monday's game, which starts at 7 p.m., will be the final audition for many players.
It appears the battle could come down to Taylor and Rolle vying for a spot, unless one of the guards were to have a particularly strong showing Monday.
Rolle, in particular, has improved her chances with a strong finish to the week. "She had a tremendous practice today," Reeve said. "She has come a long way. She got in [April 26] from Bulgaria. I suspect her first few days she was sleepwalking a little bit. But, my goodness, she was good [Sunday]. She helped herself.''
Reeve said she would go with a starting lineup of Maya Moore and Lindsey Moore, White, Taylor and Dantas. Reeve said White, a veteran off guard signed during the offseason, would get some work at the point, where she may be needed early in the season. But Lindsey Moore, she said, needs a lot of minutes there, too.
Notes
• Peters was at Sunday's workout but has not practiced yet.
• Forward Rebekkah Brun-son, recovering from her season spent overseas, might not practice with the team until after the WNBA preseason tournament this weekend in Orlando.
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