On Thursday, the Washington Mystics traded forward Aaliyah Edwards to the Connecticut Sun in exchange for guard Jacy Sheldon and first-round swap rights in the 2026 WNBA Draft. This move comes hours before the deadline ends at 3 p.m. ET.
Home Sweet Home: Aaliyah Edwards Returns to Connecticut
Edwards, selected sixth overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Washington Mystics, spent her collegiate career alongside Paige Bueckers at UConn. Throughout her tenure with Connecticut, she averaged 7.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 18.5 minutes per game.
Earlier in July, ESPN reported that the Mystics were seeking a new home for Edwards, who has played limited minutes and has dealt with injuries throughout the season.
With the trade, Edwards has the opportunity to grow and learn from former UConn alums, Tina Charles and Olivia Nelson-Ododa, who currently anchor Connecticut’s frontcourt. Additionally, Edwards joins Connecticut’s young core with Saniya Rivers and Aneesah Morrow as the franchise builds toward the future.
“Bringing Aaliyah to the Connecticut Sun is more than just a roster move; it’s a statement about where we’re headed as a franchise,” Connecticut Sun general manager Morgan Tuck said in press release. “Aaliyah is a transformational talent with the mindset and drive that aligns with our vision of building a championship culture. What truly sets her apart is the way she leads, connects, and competes. Aaliyah is the kind of person and player who can help redefine the future of this organization and we’re ready to build that future together.”
As Edwards heads back to Connecticut, she’ll provide rebounding and size for the team, which sits last in team rebounds per game with 31.4. Not only that, but she could be one of the players the franchise leans on for the future.
Jacy Sheldon Adds 3-Point Shooting to the Washington Mystics
Sheldon heads to the Mystics, who are in full rebuild mode, and gets an opportunity to flourish in Sydney Johnson’s coaching system. She brings her 3-point shooting and ability to score at all three levels to Washington, which ranks 10th in the league in 3-point shooting percentage (32.2 %). Plus, her defensive prowess should help uplift a Mystics team that will need to fill Brittney Sykes’s departure.
Throughout her professional career, Sheldon played for the Dallas Wings, who selected her fifth overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft out of Ohio State. Earlier this year, she was traded to the Connecticut Sun, where she appeared in 28 games and averaged 7.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game this season.
“We are excited to welcome Jacy to the Mystics and think her skill set, energy, and team-first approach will be a great fit for us,” Washington Mystics General Manager Jamila Wideman said in a press release. “She is a competitor and leads through the example of her work-ethic. She has built on her solid rookie campaign and demonstrated an ability to shoot the ball and read the game on both ends of the court.”
According to Kareem Copeland of The Washington Post, Sheldon will join the Mystics as they’ll face Paige Bueckers and the Wings in Dallas on Sunday.
Mystics Focus on Future by Acquiring More WNBA Draft Picks
The Washington Mystics have been going through a rebuilding phase over the past year, with the departures of Natasha Cloud and Ariel Atkins, plus the retirement of Elena Delle Donne. This season, they’ve become one of the surprise teams, competing for one of the final playoff spots alongside the Golden State Valkyries and Los Angeles Sparks.
On Tuesday, the Mystics traded veteran guard Brittney Sykes to the Seattle Storm in exchange for Zia Cooke, who was later waived by the team, Alysha Clark, and Seattle’s first-round pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. Overall, the team holds six future picks in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
The Mystics continue to focus on the development of the future with the acquisition of Sheldon and two first-round picks in the 2026 WNBA Draft. In the 2025 WNBA Draft, Washington selected all-stars guard Sonia Citron third overall, Kiki Iriafen fourth overall, and guard Georgia Amoore, who is out for the season with a torn ACL, sixth overall.
Not to mention that forward-center Shakira Austin is also one of the bright spots for the Mystics in the future as well. When she is fully healthy for Washington, she dominates on both ends of the court and scores aggressively in the paint. With the emergence of Austin and Iriafen, Edwards simply got lost in the rotation.
The trade between the Sun and Mystics is a win-win for both teams, as Sheldon and Edwards could succeed in their new coaching systems and build confidence.
