McWilliams-Franklin Traded to Shock

Rookie Humphrey, Murphy and Draft Pick Swapped for Mystics Forward

In a surprising move, the Washington Mystics traded veteran forward and second-leading scorer Taj McWilliams-Franklin to the Detroit Shock yesterday for rookie forward Tasha Humphrey, second-year swing player Eshaya "Shay" Murphy and a second-round draft pick in 2009.

McWilliams-Franklin often served as a pillar of stability throughout what has been a glaringly inconsistent season for Washington. But the decision to trade her in the middle of the WNBA's month-long Olympic break, as the Mystics prepare for a playoff push in the eight remaining games, seems to signal the organization's focus on the future.

"Bottom line is we're 10-16," General Manager Linda Hargrove said. "We were looking at what we can do in this franchise to move forward. An opportunity arose that maybe can help us now and in the future. It was a difficult decision. Taj has been terrific for us."

Washington acquired McWilliams-Franklin from Los Angeles in exchange for disgruntled forward DeLisha Milton-Jones in late April. McWilliams-Franklin, 37, is in the final year of her contract and earns close to the league maximum salary of $95,000. She did not ask to be traded, Hargrove said.

In this, her 10th WNBA season, McWilliams-Franklin regularly fielded questions about retirement but never seemed to slow down. She started all of the Mystics' 26 games, playing a team-high 33.2 minutes per contest and averaging a team-best 7.3 rebounds. Her 13.3 points per game was second on the team. When the Mystics went through their habitual quarter-long slumps, it was typically McWilliams-Franklin who continued to score and keep games within reach.

But where the Mystics will miss the veteran most is in leadership. Almost immediately after her arrival, McWilliams-Franklin became a consistent motivator on a team that lacked continuity, doling out regular doses of reality, whether she was demanding commitment in the weight room or forcing teammates to take responsibility for their play.

"She was a huge part of my plans and what I had hoped to do," interim head coach Jessie Kenlaw said. "All those intangible things that she brought to the table in terms of her leadership and you could just depend on her. She was like having a coach out on the floor. Yeah, I'm going to miss that, but I'm pretty confident though that some of the kids are going to step up."

Guard Alana Beard agreed that the move means more of the Mystics' young players must embrace a larger role and dismissed any additional pressure she might face as a leader without McWilliams-Franklin.

"I have Jessie and [assistant coach] Crystal Robinson. I think everyone can lead in their own little way," Beard said, adding that while no one in the organization explicitly labeled the trade part of a rebuilding process "by the looks of it, possibly it could be."

The 6-foot-3 Humphrey, one of Detroit's 2008 first-round draft-picks (11th overall out of Georgia), averaged 13.5 minutes, 7.3 points and 2.9 rebounds in 22 games with the Shock. But Humphrey likely will have more responsibility with the Mystics than she did with Eastern Conference-leading Detroit. She, second-year player Bernice Mosby and rookie Crystal Langhorne will be asked to absorb McWilliams-Franklin's minutes and share that key role in the low post.

Murphy (5-11), the other player acquired in the trade, is listed as a guard but is expected to help serve as backup at small forward behind starter Monique Currie. A defense-oriented player, Murphy averaged 9.4 minutes, 2.5 points and 1.6 rebounds over 13 games with the Shock.

To help make room for the two new players, the Mystics released forward Kendra Wecker, who played in nine games after being picked up off waivers in late June.

"You have to live with the decisions that are made by management, and in spite of that we're still on a mission," Kenlaw said, rebuffing the notion that the trade significantly altered the postseason hopes of the team, which is two games out of a playoff spot. "The only thing that has changed is that Taj has been removed from our lineup. What we're looking to do, our goals, haven't changed. Our work ethic hasn't changed. We're still trying to lay a foundation here and it is a foundation for the future."