WNBA Star Angel Reese Traded To Atlanta Dream as Championship Odds Surge

The 2026 WNBA offseason is in full swing. The players' union and WNBA previously agreed to a historic Collective Bargaining Agreement. Though not fully ratified, free agency has the green light. In a turn of events, the Chicago Sky kicked things off by trading Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream. In this article, I will break down the trade and how the Dream's WNBA championship odds skyrocketed.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

The first trade of the offseason includes one of the most talked-about players in the WNBA. Now she gets a fresh start in Atlanta. Nicknamed Chi-Town Barbie, Reese will seek another notable name.

In exchange, the Sky will receive a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 first-round pick. The Dream will receive Reese and a 2028 second-round pick swap.

Reese, 23, was selected No. 7 overall by the Sky in the 2024 WNBA Draft. The former LSU standout was picked alongside Kamilla Cardoso in the historic draft. While they were ultimately chosen as future franchise cornerstones, Cardoso is the only one left standing, for now.

“The Sky are trading Angel to the Dream in exchange for two first-round picks. This trade is designed to achieve roster balance and represents a great opportunity for all parties,” General Manager Jeff Pagliocca said in a press release.

Reese, who's still on a rookie-scale contract, has played two full seasons in Chicago. Named a two-time WNBA All-Star, she was the league's leading rebounder in both 2024 and 2025. Earning WNBA All-Rookie honors, Reese lost the Rookie of the Year award to Caitlin Clark. However, she's had quite a decorated career so far.

In two seasons, Reese averaged 14.1 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.4 steals. In 64 regular-season games, she shot 42.1% from the field, 18.3% from beyond the arc, and 74.6% from the free-throw line. During her time with Chicago, the Sky failed to make the playoffs. Her importance to the team was crucial as the Sky held a 1-13 record without Reese on the floor.

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Angel Reese Traded to Atlanta Dream in Blockbuster WNBA Deal

Since being drafted, Reese has dealt with several front office changes. The Sky held a 13-27 record in 2024, which resulted in the firing of head coach Teresa Weatherspoon. In 2025, Chicago tied the Dallas Wings for the WNBA's worst record (10-34) under head coach Tyler Marsh.

In September 2025, Reese was suspended for the first half of a game for making detrimental comments to the team. Reese did tell  Julia Poe of the Chicago Times that she might go "in a different direction" if the organization did not make improvements. Reese insisted she would not "settle for the same stuff" as last year.

In December 2025, Reese cleared the air regarding her status in the Windy City. Reese stated she was under contract with the Sky and would return under coach Marsh.

It's clear that Chicago is moving on from Reese, and the trade signals a full rebuild.

“Angel has achieved many record-breaking milestones in her first two years in the WNBA and has been a competitive force for the Sky,” Pagliocca added. “We are thankful for her many important contributions to this league and this game, and we know she will continue to have a big impact on the court and beyond. We wish Angel all the best in her next chapter.”

Speaking of record-breaking milestones, Reese delivered career-highs in points, assists, defensive rebounds, and steals. Her field goal percentage increased from 39.1% to 43.8% in 2025. Let's first break down how the trade impacts the Dream's 2026 WNBA Championship odds. From there, I will heavily discuss how Reese will impact the team and what she's accomplished at the professional level.

How Angel Reese Trade Impacts Atlanta Dream and Chicago Sky 2026 WNBA Championship Betting Odds (FanDuel)

Atlanta Dream

• Odds pre-trade: +2200
• Odds post-trade: +1000

Chicago Sky

• Odds pre-trade: +15000
• Odds post-trade: +50000

Atlanta Dream

Let me just say this news caught me off guard. WNBA free agency is in full swing, but I did not expect Chicago to wheel and deal this early.

Prior to Reese's arrival in Atlanta, the Dream had +1500 odds after the CBA was agreed to on Mar. 18. That said, there are over 100 free agents, and 77 unrestricted ones. Once the CBA is ratified and officially signed, several teams will be wheeling and dealing. Several stars, such as Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty) and A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces), expressed the desire to return to their former teams.

“I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to join the Atlanta Dream organization,” said Reese in a press release. “I’m focused on continuing to grow my game, competing at the highest level, connecting with the fans, and giving everything I've got to the Dream.”

The question remains: How much of the Dream's core will be retained?

Not only will players'  salaries increase, but so will the salary cap. The cap will increase from $1.5 million to $7 million starting in 2026. Subsequently, the supermax salary will be set at $1.4 million from $249,244. Furthermore, the average salary will hover around $600,000, and the minimum salary will stand north of $300,000.

These figures will certainly change how teams will construct their rosters. Since Reese is still on a rookie deal, her salary will increase substantially to $350,692 in 2026 and $396,282 in 2027. It's not until 2028 that Reese becomes an unrestricted free agent (UFA) with the possibility of signing a supermax contract.

Atlanta Dreams Big with Angel Reese Trade

This is a brilliant move for the Dream, who retain Reese on a lower-cost rookie deal and have the funds to build around her. On Instagram, Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard were attempting to recruit Reese to Atlanta. It's hard to imagine they won't sign back with Atlanta.

Reese will join a Dream team that already has Te-Hina Paopao and Taylor Thierry on rookie contracts. Six players will become unrestricted free agents, including Nia Coffey, Gray, Brittney Griner, Brionna Jones, and Shatori-Walker Kimbrough. Restricted free agents include Naz Hillmon and Howard, meaning their prior teams have the right to match a contract offer from another team.

Under first-year head coach Karl Smesko, Atlanta finished as the No. 3 seed with a 30-14 record. Ending the season on a six-game win streak, they boasted a +7.6 point differential and ranked second in offensive rating (108.2) and defensive rating (98.9). They sat only behind the Minnesota Lynx with the second-highest NET rating (9.3) in the WNBA.

The Dream orchestrated an overhaul last season by signing both Jones and Griner to pack the frontcourt. That said, this was a team that already led the league in rebounding percentage (53%) and defensive rebounding percentage (73.7%). Plus, they ranked among the top three in offensive rebound percentage (32%). Unfortunately, they lost to the Indiana Fever in the first round of the 2025 WNBA playoffs.

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Why Angel Reese Impacts WNBA Championship Odds

Now the Dream adds a perennial rebounder who has been criticized for her own put-backs and misses. However, Reese has silenced her critics over the years, dating back to her days with LSU.

In just two WNBA seasons, Reese is the all-time leader in consecutive double-doubles. Smashing records left and right, Reese easily set the single-season rebounding record in her rookie season. Moreover, she is the fastest player to reach 46 double-doubles. Prior to a season-ending injury in 2025, Reese recorded 23 double-doubles,  her first-ever triple-double against the Connecticut Sun, and held an 11-game double-double streak!

It's truly hard to grade the trade since free agency is underway, but the core of Reese, Howard, and Gray is scary. Gray and Howard are elite two-way guards in the league, and both are extremely efficient scorers. I truly can't imagine the amount of pick-and-rolls and inside-out action between such dynamic players and Reese.

Last season, Gray finished seventh in scoring with a career-best 18.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 steals. Gray is a high-efficiency scorer who can facilitate and score at all three levels.

Known for her ferocious defense, Howard finished eleventh in scoring with 17.5 points per game, 4.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.6 steals. With the new salary cap in place, the biggest question remains whether Brionna Jones or Brittney Griner will re-sign with Atlanta.

Big Three: Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Angel Reese

Griner's first season in Atlanta did not go as planned: Having missed several games with a neck injury, Griner fell out of the starting lineup. Starting 25 of 29 games, she averaged 9.9 points and 5.2 rebounds.

I'm assuming Jones is likely to walk. Named EuroLeague Finals MVP in 2025, she was named an All-Star in her first year with Atlanta. Starting all 44 games for the Dream, Jones averaged 12.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals. A floor-spacing big, she shot just 26.1% from beyond the arc.

Smesko was a Coach of the Year candidate, and he transformed this roster from good to great. A heavy 3-point shooting team, the Dream attempted the second-most 3-pointers per game (28.4) and averaged 84.4 points per game. While Reese isn't a heavy 3-point shooter, she brings value to this team in so many ways. Reese is a consistent rebounder, though inside finishing can be a problem at times.

Atlanta's WNBA Championship odds shifted from +2200 to +1000 after acquiring one of the most exciting players in the game. Fresh off a franchise-best 30 wins, this team at least has the big three that can compete with anyone. Imagine if the team can re-sign Jordin Canada, Griner, or Jones? Dreams do come true, and Atlanta starts off free agency with a splash!

Chicago Sky

I'm not sure what the Chicago Sky front office is doing, but I give them a 1-star rating for how they handled Reese. What could've been is no longer, and "Chi-Town Barbie's" tenure ended just after two seasons.

According to Alex Philippou of ESPN, Reese did not request a trade, and the franchise is expected to "revamp" the roster entirely. The Sky organization has been questionable in recent years, with Bec Allen calling it "miserable" in a recent podcast.

They traded away the No. 3 pick (Sonia Citron) for Ariel Atkins last year. Not only have several stars left the organization, but they are now left with five future first-round draft picks.

The Sky holds a 23-61 record over the last two seasons, and I don't see it getting better (right now). Cardoso and Hailey Van Lith are on rookie deals, as well as Maddy Westbeld. The roster was already poorly constructed last season, and, respectively, they ranked near the bottom offensively (97) and defensively (109.9).

The Sky are now tied with the Connecticut Sun for the highest odds (+50000) to win the 2026 WNBA Championship. That puts them below new expansion franchises, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo. I could see the case for Connecticut, which is expected to relocate to Houston in 2027. But what's the Sky's excuse?

I simply don't trust the front office, and I haven't for a while. I'm not banking on them to attract free agents, and a rebuild through the draft could take years. They are such underdogs that if you were to bet $5 on the Sky to win the championship, you would win $2,500. No, please do not bet on this team.

To drop from +15000 odds to +50000 odds post CBA agreement and Angel Reese trade... is something. Let's not forget that Chicago traded away picks in the expansion draft to protect its roster. Now, its star is long gone. That said, Atlanta acquires Reese at a low cost, which is a steal.