The Toronto Tempo kicked off the 2026 WNBA trade deadline with a big move, acquiring Aneesah Morrow from the Connecticut Sun. In return, they gave the Sun a 2028 second-round draft pick and the rights to Maria Kliundikova.
It’s not surprising that the Tempo kicked off the trade deadline weekend, with reports circulating all week that they were looking to be buyers. Their injured and depleted frontcourt needed a boost, and Thursday’s 32-point loss to the Minnesota Lynx further proved the immediate need for more rebounding.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Aneesah to our organization,” said general manager Monica Wright Rogers in a team-issued statement. “She’s a relentless competitor who impacts the game in so many ways, particularly with her ability to rebound at a high level. We believe she’s one of the emerging frontcourt talents in this league, and we’re excited to see her play in a Tempo uniform.”
At 10-18 and 5.5 games behind the eighth seed, the Tempo’s hopes at a 2026 playoff run are getting slimmer. They are about to hit the road for a five-game trip against multiple playoff teams, have lost nine of their last 10, and are dealing with multiple injuries. Obtaining someone like Morrow goes beyond the current season and sets the team up for the future. In just her second WNBA season, Morrow’s rookie contract extends through 2027 and includes a team option for the 2028 season. If the Tempo opt in, Morrow would be a restricted free agent in 2029.
The price was right for Toronto as well. In reports this week from The Athletic’s Annie Costabile, the Tempo seemed willing to part with a 2027 or 2028 first-round draft pick in a trade. In the end, they didn’t need to give up a likely valuable pick, sending out the rights to Kliundikova (who didn’t come to play in the WNBA this season and has no guarantee to come next season) as well as a second-round pick. While the second round of the WNBA draft is continuing to become more of a factor by the year, it’s still a small price to pay.
While the desire to be competitive is understandable from the Tempo, the risk in giving away a first-round pick in the next two drafts is high. The WNBA uses the previous two seasons’ records to calculate draft lottery odds, but the Tempo are in a unique situation as one of two first-year teams. For the 2027 draft, Toronto would only have this current season record count for them, potentially giving them a better shot at the No. 1 pick.
If they end up missing the playoffs, they could have a shot at drafting Juju Watkins out of USC at No. 1.
While the Tempo have set their backcourt up pretty well with Marina Mabrey, Brittney Sykes and Kiki Rice, Watkins’s potential star power rivals that of Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark. Even if the Tempo end up a little further back in the 2027 lottery, there are plenty of future All-Stars potentially coming into the draft next year.
Dealing the 2028 first-round pick is even more of a gamble. UConn star Sarah Strong is currently projected to go first, and players like Joyce Edwards, Mikayla Blakes, Syla Swords, Sienna Betts, Agot Makeer, and Jazzy Davidson are all potential first-round picks. Losing your first-round pick in that draft closes the door to potentially drafting several franchise-shifting players.
Keeping those first-round picks is one of the biggest wins of this trade, along with the fact that Morrow is a young player with potential who fills the current needs of the Tempo roster.
Drafted 7th overall out of LSU in the 2025 WNBA draft, Morrow ended her college career with the third most rebounds in NCAA Division I history (1,714). Her 104 college double-doubles were second in NCAA Division I history. In her senior season, LSU made it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, losing to UCLA – and Morrow’s new teammate Kiki Rice.
In her rookie season, Morrow led the WNBA in defensive rebounding rate (31.9%). This season for the Sun, Morrow has averaged 11.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, immediately making her the Tempo’s leader in rebounds per game. The next highest rebounder is Isabelle Harrison, who has grabbed 6.4 rebounds per game in the 16 matches she’s been available for the team. Harrison has also missed the last two games with knee soreness.
Morrow has the potential to immediately impact the Tempo’s on-court play, especially on the glass. Toronto currently sits 13th league-wide in rebounding (31.1 per game) and has the worst defensive ranking in the WNBA. Morrow’s ability to space the floor fits into coach Brondello’s five-out system, and with the way she’s been able to increase the output of players like Mabrey and Harrison this season, Morrow could be the next Tempo player to break out.
The trade is still pending physical examination, which leaves Morrow’s availability for Sunday’s game versus the Golden State Warriors up in the air. Morrow has played 20 games for the Sun this season, missing a few weeks in July with a left leg injury. She returned to game action on July 22 and has played three games since, scoring 21 points in two of those contests.
