WALT HOPKINS

The WNBA enters the final week of the regular season with many playoff positions still to be decided as well as the final postseason berth.

The WNBA season isn’t even two weeks old and the New York Liberty have already doubled their win total from last year and are off to their best start since 2007.

The New York Liberty acquired Natasha Howard from the Seattle Storm as part of a tree-team trade Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)NEW YORK – The New York Liberty acquired Natasha Howard from the Seattle Storm as part of a three-team trade Wednesday. 1 pick didn't stay in Seattle long as the Storm traded it to Dallas for Katie Lou Samuelson and the Wings’ second-round pick in 2022. “We have the privilege of welcoming multiple-time WNBA champions Natasha Howard and Sami Whitcomb to Brooklyn,” general manager Jonathan Kolb said. “I am very excited to be a part of the New York Liberty organization,” she said.

1 pick in the WNBA draft was diagnosed with a Grade 3 left ankle sprain after getting hurt in the second quarter against Atlanta and did not return to action in the New York Libertys 84-78 loss to the Dream on Friday night. A Grade 3 sprain is the most severe and usually requires months to heal fully as it's a full tear of the ankle ligament. Ionescu was bringing the ball up court and rolled her left ankle when she got tangled up with Atlanta's Betnijah Laney with about five minutes left in the opening half. Ionescu played in only 2 1/2 games this season and might be hard-pressed to return with the WNBA playing a truncated season with only 19 games left over the next 6 weeks. New York is short-handed at guard already with Kia Nurse sidelined with a sprained left ankle she suffered in the team's opener.

According to NBA TV, Ionescu sprained her ankle and underwent X-rays. After the game, Liberty coach Walt Hopkins said Ionescu was still being evaluated. She helped the Ducks win the Pac-12 regular-season and tournament titles as a senior while averaging 17.5 points, 9.1 assists and 8.6 rebounds. She was named the conferences most outstanding player of the tournament and of the regular season. The 5-foot-11 guard was also named AP Player of the Year and won the Wooden Award, the Naismith Trophy and Wade Trophy.

NEW YORK New York Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb knew that he and first-year coach Walt Hopkins would have to make some tough decisions on the team's roster this year. He just didn't think they'd have to do it so quickly and without seeing players compete in training camp. It's left many teams with tough decisions on who they will cut and little time to figure it out. We have the most international players and with so much uncertainty and lack of answers at the moment, it puts us in a position to have to make decisions.Kolb said he's been in constant contact with the international players, who are in China, Sweden, Australia, France and Canada. There is a chance one or more of the Liberty's international players could decide she wants to stay abroad.