The Minnesota Lynx completed a significant rebuild at the point guard position Wednesday by agreeing to terms on a multiyear contract with free agent Courtney Williams.
Entering her ninth season, the 5-8 Williams will be playing her fourth team in as many years, but she is coming off one of her best seasons. Williams is slated to attend the Timberwolves-Dallas NBA game at Target Center with Lynx president of basketball operations and head coach Cheryl Reeve.
Williams is the second point guard the Lynx acquired Wednesday. Earlier in the day, the team sent off-guard Tiffany Mitchell and a second-round pick in the upcoming WNBA draft to Connecticut for Natisha Hiedeman.
Teams cannot comment on free agent signings until Thursday. But Reeve — who entered free agency saying she wanted to upgrade on the depth at the point – could talk about the Hiedeman trade.
“We hated to lose Tiff,” Reeve said of Mitchell, a natural off-guard forced to play the point at times last season because of injuries. “She tried to step in and fill those needs for us last year. But her natural position is a two. We had to see her go, but I think her situation will be great.”
In Williams the Lynx get a three-level scorer, especially known for her mid-range game. In eight seasons she has averaged 12.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists. But last year in Chicago, she averaged a career-high 6.3 assists.
Hiedeman, who has started 71 games the past to seasons with the Sun, has career averages of 7.9 points, and 2.4 assists. The 5-8 guard is a career .392 shooter on three-pointers.
Reeve has always liked Hiedeman, enough to draft her originally back in 2019. But she was part of a draft night deal that brought Lexie Brown to the Lynx.
“She has the ability to shoot,” Reeve said of Hiedeman. “Shooting, the athleticism, defense, we think she’ll help in all those areas”
