Was Chicago Sky's decision to trade lottery pick in WNBA Draft secretly a masterstroke? Angel Reese's GM reveals the reason behind savvy deal

The Chicago Sky shocked the WNBA world in February when they traded the No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming draft to the Washington Mystics in exchange for Ariel Atkins. Initially, the move could have been considered a crazy decision by the Sky, but as the weeks went by and several players opted out of the draft, the call started making more sense.

Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca cleared up the air on the speculation regarding the move. Pagliocca explained on Thursday that the move for Atkins was solely made on the chance to add another veteran guard to the roster.

“I’ve been waiting for this one,” Pagliocca said, per SB Nation. “The decision to try to get Ariel Atkins was an Ariel Atkins decision — not due to the strength of the draft. If anything, it just shows how much we believe in her to move such a strong pick.”

With Olivia Miles deciding against joining the WNBA draft, many assumed the Sky traded away their No. 3 pick, given the uncertainty regarding top prospects. Pagliocca clarified that the Sky knew as much as everybody else, adding that the Sky made the move before Miles and others had opted out of the draft.

The executive highlighted that Atkins checks the boxes they're looking forward to, so they didn't hesitate to add a player who could put them closer to winning another championship.

Angel Reese and Co. were previously linked with Notre Dame's Sonia Citron, but now they could be placing their attention on a different prospect.

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Chicago Sky GM raves about NC State guard

While the No. 3 pick is off the table for the Chicago Sky, Jeff Pagliocca has put his attention on an intriguing prospect who could make an impact on the team.

Saniya Rivers, a senior guard from North Carolina State, was showered with praise from Pagliocca. The general manager highlighted how she can benefit several teams.

"She can probably handle one, two, three, a little bit of four at times, she's got a lot of length. Maybe the best overall athlete in the draft and she's got a lot of length too."

With 128 games under her belt, Rivers averaged 28.5 minutes, 9.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.0 blocks per game, shooting 39.5% from the field and 67.9% from the free-throw line. She's a solid defender, but needs to work on her offensive game.

The Chicago Sky could take a swing and draft her this upcoming draft.