Tuesday, May 13, 2008

The Washington Mystics released guards Tamara James, Chandi Jones and 2008 second-round draft pick Lindsey Pluimer yesterday, leaving them with the WNBA maximum of 13 active players heading into tonight's final preseason game against Houston at Verizon Center.

James, the only player of the three who was on last season's squad, averaged 5.4 points in 12.9 minutes per game off the bench for Washington in 2007. But while James boasted a 85.9 free throw percentage, the third-year guard never advanced beyond a marginal role. In Washington's two preseason games, the 5-foot-10 James scored eight points and snared three rebounds.

The Mystics had hoped Pluimer would adapt to a position on the wing to showcase her perimeter shooting skills, but the 6-4 Pluimer never seemed at ease in training camp and hardly played in the team's early preseason games.

Jones signed a training camp contract with Washington after not playing in the WNBA since 2006. A 5-9 guard, Jones, who last played with Minnesota, was competing with Mystics veterans Coco Miller and Laurie Koehn for a spot.

WNBA teams can hold 11 to 13 players on the final rosters and Mystics officials didn't rule out other moves before Friday's deadline. Washington opens the season Saturday at Indiana.

-- Katie Carrera