Sources: Sun sending '21 MVP Jones to Liberty

Jonquel Jones, the 2021 WNBA MVP, is being traded from the Connecticut Sun to the New York Liberty in a three-team deal, sources told ESPN on Sunday, confirming multiple reports.

Jones, a four-time All-Star, requested the trade specifically to New York; she had one more year on her contract with the Sun, who recently brought in a new head coach in Stephanie White when former coach Curt Miller departed for Los Angeles.

As part of the trade, a source confirmed, Rebecca Allen and Natasha Howard will be sent from New York to Connecticut and the Dallas Wings, respectively. The Wings also will receive the rights to Crystal Dangerfield of the Liberty, and will send Kayla Thornton to New York as well as Ty Harris to Connecticut.

The Sun also will receive New York’s No. 6 pick in the 2023 WNBA draft.

The Liberty — one of the league’s original franchises — are a burgeoning championship contender with 2020 No. 1 overall pick Sabrina Ionescu leading the way. They also have historically tried to court two-time Finals MVP Breanna Stewart, who is a free agent this year.

New York has fallen in the first round of the playoffs (both single-elimination games) each of the past two seasons. The Liberty brought in WNBA champion coach Sandy Brondello ahead of the 2022 campaign.

Jones — a 6-foot-6 forward/center from the Bahamas — averaged 14.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game this past season, helping lead Connecticut to a second WNBA Finals berth in four years. Prior to winning MVP, Jones was the 2017 Most Improved Player and 2018 Sixth Woman of the Year.

A source also told ESPN that the Sun intend to core Brionna Jones by Friday’s league deadline. Going into free agency, Connecticut wouldn’t have had the cap space to pay Brionna Jones, an unrestricted free agent, the regular super maximum; but with Jonquel Jones now on the way out, it will be able to offer Brionna Jones the core designation, which would mean she cannot sign a contract directly with another team.

Brionna Jones, a 6-foot-3 forward and two-time All-Star, followed in Jonquel Jones’ footsteps by winning Most Improved in 2021 and Sixth Woman of the Year in 2022.

The Sun — who with these moves appear to be building around Brionna Jones and longtime franchise stalwart Alyssa Thomas — are still searching for their first championship, having made the semifinals or better each of the previous four seasons.

Dallas, which also introduced new coach Latricia Trammel this offseason, wasn’t expected to have a busy free agency with only three free agents: Teaira McCowan, Marina Mabrey and Isabelle Harrison. The Wings figure to be building around Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally after winning the franchise’s first playoff game since 2009, when the organization was located in Tulsa.