The Atlanta Dream have officially made their move.
And while DeWanna Bonner is obviously the headline, what Atlanta had to do to make the signing possible might be just as interesting.
The Dream waived Aaliyah Nye and Jaylyn Sherrod, creating the flexibility needed to add Bonner for the remainder of the season. Nye’s departure opens a spot on the main roster, while waiving Sherrod opens a developmental spot.
And that’s where this gets interesting.
If Nye clears waivers, Atlanta could potentially bring her back on a developmental contract.
In other words, the Dream may have found a way to add DeWanna Bonner without completely losing Aaliyah Nye.
That’s some impressive roster maneuvering.
Making Room for DeWanna Bonner
Let’s start with the obvious.
When a player like DeWanna Bonner becomes available this late in the season, you make room.
Bonner is a two-time WNBA champion, six-time All-Star and one of the most experienced postseason players in league history. She has played in 98 career playoff games, giving Atlanta something that could become extremely valuable over the next few weeks.
But this isn’t simply about experience.
Bonner fills an actual need.
At 6-foot-4, she gives Karl Smesko another long, versatile forward who can defend multiple positions, rebound and stretch the floor.
That’s exactly the type of player I’ve wanted Atlanta to add all season.
The Dream already have their stars.
They needed another proven player who could complement them.
Bonner does exactly that.
Why Waiving Aaliyah Nye Makes Sense
I actually like Aaliyah Nye and think she has legitimate WNBA potential.
She’s a talented perimeter shooter with size who could eventually develop into a valuable role player.
The problem is opportunity.
Where were her minutes going to come from?
Atlanta is preparing for the postseason, which means rotations are about to get even shorter. Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray are going to play heavy minutes. Isobel Borlase has earned a role, and now Bonner is entering the rotation.
For a championship contender, Bonner simply gives Atlanta more right now.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean the Dream are finished with Nye.
Sherrod’s Move Could Save Nye’s Spot in Atlanta
This is what makes the second transaction so important.
By waiving Jaylyn Sherrod from her developmental contract, Atlanta opened a developmental position.
That could potentially become Nye’s new home if she clears waivers.
So instead of choosing between:
DeWanna Bonner OR Aaliyah Nye
Atlanta could potentially have:
DeWanna Bonner AND Aaliyah Nye.
Bonner helps you chase a championship today.
Nye remains in the organization and continues developing for tomorrow.
We’ve already seen Atlanta use a similar strategy this season with Indya Nivar, moving a young player from the standard roster into a developmental role while adding a veteran who could provide more immediate help.
That tells me this isn’t random.
There’s a clear strategy behind these moves.
The Dream Are Thinking About Today AND Tomorrow
This is exactly what I want to see from Atlanta’s front office.
The Dream are in a legitimate championship window, so they can’t prioritize development over winning every time.
But Atlanta also can’t completely abandon its young talent.
The Dream have invested heavily in players like Angel Reese, Madina Okot, Isobel Borlase and Indya Nivar. If they’re able to retain Nye through the developmental system as well, that’s another young player who could eventually contribute.
That’s especially valuable for a franchise that has already used future draft capital to construct this roster.
You need inexpensive young talent developing behind your veterans.
Bonner Makes This Team More Dangerous
Ultimately, everything comes back to what Bonner adds.
Atlanta gets more size.
More shooting.
More defensive versatility.
And perhaps most importantly, a ton more playoff experience.
That’s enormous for a team mixing established veterans with young players who haven’t experienced many high-pressure WNBA playoff situations.
Bonner doesn’t need to come to Atlanta and become a star.
She simply needs to fill a role.
Defend.
Hit open shots.
Rebound.
Provide leadership.
Give Karl Smesko another option when certain playoff matchups demand it.
If she does those things, Atlanta just became significantly more dangerous.
Final Thoughts
There’s a lot of movement here, but the strategy is actually pretty simple.
Aaliyah Nye gets waived to create the main roster spot.
Jaylyn Sherrod gets waived to create a developmental opening.
DeWanna Bonner joins the playoff roster.
And if everything works out, Nye could potentially return in that developmental spot.
That’s tremendous roster work if Atlanta can complete the entire sequence.
The Dream found a way to improve their chances of winning a championship today while potentially keeping another young piece around for tomorrow.
Win now. Develop for later.
With the playoffs approaching, that’s exactly how the Dream should be operating.
