#125: Awak Kuier just became even more important in free agency

A look at 5 potential landing spots

I like to write these newsletters on Sunday and Thursday to go out on Monday and Friday, respectively. I usually have a good idea of what the topic will be, and 99 percent of the time, nothing changes - or I'll note when I write about said topic so that it accounts for any changes.

That changed on Sunday.

During the Fever and Sky game (fuck Enes Freedom, btw), I was writing my newsletter about the two players I was watching the closest in free agency.

You may say that we haven't ended the regular season yet, and my attention should be on the playoffs.

You're not wrong, but my brain is also my brain.

So the plan was to write about NaLyssa Smith and Awak Kuier, who would be the two most-coveted bigs available.

Then, Smith went down with an injury Sunday night. While the team has yet to confirm the injury, all signs are pointing to an ACL injury.

It's brutal for Smith. It's brutal for the Aces. It's brutal for the WNBA. It's brutal for women in sports who are more susceptible to ACL injuries than men are.

It also makes Kuier that much more of a priority for teams this offseason.

The Dallas Wings took Azzi Fudd No. 1 in the WNBA Draft – the pick, for me, was always Olivia Miles – and there's nothing wrong with that. She's a generational shooter and a lockdown defender, but injuries were the concern. They didn't just take Fudd over Miles, but they took her over Awa Fam, too.

A big reason for that wasn't just the arrival of Alanna Smith on a max deal and Jessica Shepard coming into the fold, but it was also because they signed Kuier to a one-year deal.

Kuier's playing time has been ticking up – 19 or more minutes in six straight games – and with that has been a showcase of what she is capable of both offensively and defensively.

Defensively, she brings a rim-altering presence as highlighted by her 7 blocks against the Indiana Fever two games ago. In the two games before that, she had three blocks in each.

At 6'6, she's a problem for those who are driving to the rim with her vertical and lateral quickness.

Just look at Stephanie White's face when that clip starts and Caitlin Clark decides to drive on her. She knew there would be issues.

Then offensively, she can stretch the floor as a shooter, but she can also handle the ball like a wing.

Check out this euro step by her.

It's funny that the caption they used is "Awak Kuier Eurostepping to the bag this offseason," because that's exactly what's going to happen.

There are a few bigs who will be available this offseason, and while I love Big Mama Stef and Temi Fagbenle, Kuier – especially now with Smith's injury – should be the one who is in the most demand.

But where will she land, and what will she command?

Well, I've narrowed it down to five teams who should be in the running for here.

Here's my case for each.

Toronto Tempo: It's no secret that the Tempo were trying hard to fill a void at center this offseason. They offered Shakira Austin a three-year max contract, but as a restricted free agent, the Washington Mystics had a chance to match the offer. They did, and she's a big reason why the Young, umm, team, is in the playoffs. The Tempo pivoted and signed Fagbenle to a one-year deal for $1 million.

The returns haven't been there, to say the least. We'll never know what this Tempo team could have been if they stayed healthy – they'd make a push for the No. 7 or No. 8 seed, imo – but Brittney Sykes, Kiki Rice, Aneesah Morrow all went through injuries that derailed the plan.

The Tempo still need a big. Yes, they can look to address that in the draft if they wish, but in a loaded draft filled with guards and wings, will they use a lottery pick to take Clara Strack from Kentucky to fill a need?

It would be poor management if so.

The Tempo will free up $1 million from Fagbenle's contract, and they will have the option to match an offer for oft-injured big Nyara Sabally. Kia Nurse and Izzy Harrison will also be free agents.

They'll have the money needed to sign Kuier and still go after another mid-level free agent if they wish.

I'm expecting Kuier to land in the $715,000 to $755,000 per year range this offseason.

Portland Fire: Kudos to the Fire, man. I hated this team. Not the team or players, really, but the roster construction. It was very, umm, white, and it didn't have any star power at all.

They've built a great fanbase and in-arena environment with the Fire Pit, though.

But Year 1 is forgivable. Year 2, you need to show your fans that you are invested.

Kuier would do just that.

The Fire will have upwards of $2 million to spend entering free agency, without many tough decisions when it comes to re-signing players. Emily Engstler, who has been a terrific defender this season, will be the toughest decision to make since she's a restricted free agent.

Kuier could slide into Portland's starting lineup and they can run a two-big lineup that offers adequate spacing with her and Meg DiLeo.

If we assume that Kuier will land in the range that I listed about, that will still leave the Fire with a rough $1.3-$1.4 to spend in free agency.

They could make a run at one of the big free agents – Napheesa Collier, Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum – or two mid-tier free agents like a Kayla Thornton, Tyasha Harris, or Myisha Hines-Allen.

Golden State Valkyries: Come close and listen. This is going to be OK, I promise. We need to stop pretending that Laeticia Amihere is going to happen. It's like Fetch. It's not going to happen.

She has the South Carolina buzz with her, so I understand it, but while there are flashes that we see, she's not going to be more than a rotational player.

Kuier, on the other hand, can be.

The Valkyries absolutely crushed it with the signing of Kiah Stokes. I never thought that I'd say those words, and I told their head coach, GM, and comms team the same thing.

I was wrong.

They said, "We know. All of you were."

She's been a great fit for a defensive-minded Valkyries team.

She'll also be 34 heading into next season – her final year under a team-friendly contract – so ushering in Kuier as the succession plan for a three-year deal worth $740,000 AAV makes too much sense.

Now, the Valkyries are below the cap, but they'll be helped by a departing Tiffany Hayes and possibly Kayla Thornton. Both are unrestricted free agents, but the Valkyries like KT a lot.

If they sign her, though, getting Kuier, too, will be hard.

They also have decisions to make with Katelyn Chen and Amihere, both of whom are ERFAs. Chen is a no-brainer at the amount, and if they re-sign KT, bringing back Amihere – as well as Iliana Rupert, who will be returning from having her child – would be the path forward instead.

Dallas Wings: The Wings don't have to let Kuier go. They could, you know, re-sign her.

But something feels weird there with Jose Fernandez.

That's weird, right? I like Jose, but that wasn't a good look.

There will be a number of players off the books for the Wings if they want to bring Kuier back.

Again, she was a big reason that they didn't draft Fam No. 1.

Maddy Siegrist will be a restricted free agent, but the Wings won't match an offer on her. Alysha Clark, Odyssey Sims, Li Yueru, and Sug Sutton will all be off the books and free up modest money as veteran minimum contracts.

But will Dallas bring her back, or will Jose opt for a player like Stef Dolson to operate out of his desired pick-and-roll instead?

We'll see what Kurt Miller has in mind.

Houston Comets: I still fully believe that the reason that the Connecticut Sun signed Brittney Griner to a $1.19 million deal this offseason was a handshake deal for 2027.

They'll pay her max money this year in the final season of the franchise and a way to get fans to turn out all season (Connecticut fans are great and deserve better) before taking a mid-level contract for 2027 as the team moves to Houston.

Griner is from Houston, and it would allow her to sign a one-year deal worth, say, $350,000 to relaunch the franchise in Houston and retire after the 2027 season.

That being said, the Comets will need to do more to be competitive. They'll have a lottery pick again, with a good chance of landing JuJu Watkins, Madison Booker, Hannah Hidalgo, S’Mya Nichols, or Mikaylah Williams.

But what about having Kuier as the succession plan to Griner in a similar fashion that the Valkyries would do with Stokes?

The Comets will have by far the most cap space this offseason with about $3 million available after the Griner and Kennedy Burke max deals expire.

Let's assume that Griner returns for $350,000 and Kuier signs for $750,000, they'll still have $1.9 million to play with in free agency.

Would that be enough to entice Jackie Young or Napheesa Collier? Maybe allow them to take on a max-contract player who hasn't lived up to the contract like an Azurá Stevens or Ariel Atkins in exchange for draft capital?

The Comets will be interesting to see how they approach the offseason – especially with a new coach at the helm (we assume and, well, basically know).