With Courtney Vandersloot out, what's next for Chicago?

Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot's 2025 season came to an end at the 5:29 mark of the first quarter against the Indiana Fever on June 7. The next day, she was officially ruled out for the season with an ACL tear on her right knee.

Her teammates flooded social media, sending her love and well wishes as she recovers from the season-ending injury and possible career-ending as well.

So, with this injury, there's been a lot of questions surrounding what's next for the Sky. I got some answers for you right here.

Do the Sky qualify for a hardship or an emergency contract?

As of right now, no.

According to the WNBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement, the basic hardship exception is for teams with two players who are out because of injury, illness, or other conditions. Both players must be unable to play for at least three weeks from when the team files for exception, and that length of time is determined by the team's physician. Also, the second injured player must miss at least two consecutive games before the team can even ask for the exception.

An emergency hardship exception is allowed when teams have fewer than 10 players readily available on their roster. Teams can sign up to as many as they need to reach 10 available players. As some players return to play, the team must terminate those replacement contracts to stay at 10 players until 10 non-replacement players are available for play.

What does that mean for the Sky?

The Sky came into the season carrying the max number of players allowed on a roster with 12. With Vandersloot now out for the season, that puts the roster at 11 players. Guard Moriah Jefferson has been dealing with a pestering leg injury that's led her being game-to-game over the last couple weeks.

She was last available for the Sky's game against the Dallas Wings on May 31. She was unavailable for the Sky's game against the Fever.

The only way the Sky could qualify for the exception is if Jefferson's leg injury persists throughout this week. Even then, it may not happen because they do have 10 available players with both Jefferson and Vandersloot out.

Can they waive someone to pick someone up?

They could, but I don't think it's smart or likely.

The Sky have four veteran contracts in Jefferson, Rachel Banham, Ariel Atkins and Elizabeth Williams. The rest of the roster is all unprotected contracts.

The only positive of this injury is that it happened before the midpoint of the season, giving the Sky the ability to waive some of the unprotected contract players without having to pay them their full salary. You could waive a veteran contract, but they're already guaranteed that money anyway so why take the salary hit?

To waive someone who's been with the team since training camp and provides now crucial depth the Sky desperately need frankly wouldn't be a smart business decision. It also would throw a bigger wrench in the roster with whoever you brought on to the team with them having to learn a brand new system and do it quickly.

Could they make a trade?

They absolutely could, but then say goodbye to either Angel Reese or Kamilla Cardoso.

If the Sky wanted to go and get another point guard quickly, this is the fastest way to do it without taking a salary hit. Both Reese & Cardoso are big names that draw in the fans and are absolutely big trade capital for the Sky.

If you were to trade either of them, it could be a 2-for-1 type of trade: Cardoso or Reese for two guards or a guard and a wing.

The question is who needs a forward or a center right now that also has something to give in return? The teams that I could see entertaining this type of trade are the Las Vegas Aces, Dallas Wings, Golden State Valkyries, Connecticut Sun or the Seattle Storm.

This is the one move I could see happening if the Sky did want to add someone to their roster right away.

Who's going to be the point guard on the current roster?

24-year coaching veteran and Chicago Sky color commentator Shimmy Miller said it best on this week's episode of Courtside with Karli Bell.

"It's going to be point guard by committee."

The Sky can do several things with who they have on the roster. You could throw it all on rookie Hailey Van Lith to be the leader of the offense just seven games into her first season. However, it was very obvious that the pressure affected her in the Sky's game against the Fever.

You could have Ariel Atkins take over at the point, have Rachel Banham be the starting shooting guard and have Van Lith come off the bench. You could also have it be Banham running the point and Atkins staying at her current starting position.

You could see Reese step up as being the point forward in at least bringing the ball up and then handing it off to either Atkins or Banham to get things going. You could see Kia Nurse possibly step up, but that's not incredibly likely. If Jefferson is healthy, you have her take over the point position to keep the starting lineup somewhat in tact.

Whatever head coach Tyler Marsh decides to do, it's going to be a quick decision with Sky taking on the New York Liberty on the road on Tuesday, June 10. Tip time for that game is at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

Tune for new episodes of Courtside with Karli Bell every Monday wherever you get your podcasts.