Liberty bolster roster with Natasha Cloud acquisition

The New York Liberty acquired veteran guard Natasha Cloud from the Connecticut Sun on Sunday. This trade comes less than two months after the Phoenix Mercury traded her to the Sun during the offseason as part of a major deal that included Alyssa Thomas.

Cloud was surprised by the trade and expressed her frustration. The Liberty immediately showed interest in her, and after initially being turned down, they made a deal to bring her in.

To acquire Cloud, the Liberty will give the Sun the No. 7 overall pick in the upcoming 2025 WNBA Draft and a first-round pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft.

Cloud has not made any public statements about why she wasn’t happy with the Sun, but she has talked about competing for a title, and Connecticut hasn't won any championships yet. She does seem to be happy with her move to the Liberty, telling fans on X, "I can’t wait to play for you all every single night."

Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb has also expressed enthusiasm about the trade, stating that Cloud has all of the qualities they look for in a player. The trade should also benefit the Sun, ensuring they will have strong picks that will provide flexibility in the offseason.

Cloud is a 5-foot-10 guard moving into her 10^th season. She led the league in assists per game in 2022 and averaged 11.5 points, 6.9 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game in the 2024 season with Phoenix.

With the Liberty winning their first title in 2024, they have a strong chance of repeating with the help of Cloud. While she’s getting into the final years of her career, her numbers are still strong and will likely remain that way for at least a few more years.