After Trade, Mystics Make Adjustments

During a full-court conditioning drill late in the Washington Mystics' practice yesterday at Verizon Center, interim coach Jessie Kenlaw instructed rookie forward Tasha Humphrey and second-year swing player Eshaya "Shay" Murphy on the proper route to take.

It was the first Mystics practice for both Humphrey and Murphy, who joined the team Tuesday after a deal with the Detroit Shock sent the pair along with a second-round pick to Washington for veteran forward Taj McWilliams-Franklin.

The move shook up the roster of the Mystics, who still are within playoff contention despite a 10-16 record.

Yesterday's practice was the newcomers' introduction to the team and its practice routine. It was also the Mystics' first attempt at life after McWilliams-Franklin, the team's second-leading scorer and its most consistent player.

"I was very impressed," Kenlaw said about Humphrey and Murphy. "I knew, obviously, Tasha's game. I knew Shay to a degree, but I was very impressed with what I saw in practice today."

Humphrey's future with the Mystics will determine the success of the deal. The 6-foot-3 former all-American was the No. 11 overall pick in this year's draft and averaged 13.5 minutes, 7.3 points and 2.9 rebounds in 22 games with the Shock.

"I saw with Tasha Humphrey a tenacity there I didn't realize she had," Kenlaw said. "She's a monster in the paint. I knew she could face up and knock down shots, but she was just a beast in the paint, just her positioning inside."

Mystics leading scorer Alana Beard was not surprised. She said she showed Humphrey around the Duke campus on a recruiting trip when Beard played for the Blue Devils and Humphrey was considering colleges. The recruiting pitch did not work -- Humphrey, a native of Gainesville, Ga., attended the University of Georgia -- but the two remained in touch.

Beard knows precisely what the Mystics are receiving with Humphrey.

"When I look at her game, I think of Charles Barkley," Beard said. "She can go inside, she can go outside. She's an undersized power forward. She can handle the ball. She can rebound. The thing I've yet to see that I don't know if she can do is defend. I'm waiting to see that out of her."

The waiting is the wild card in this trade. The Mystics sacrificed the reliability of McWilliams-Franklin, who played a team-high 33.2 minutes, trailed only Beard with 13.3 points per game and averaged a team-best 7.3 rebounds. In return, there is the unknown of a player who drew Beard's comparison to Barkley but is still unproven as a professional.

"Hopefully, I can come in and make a difference," Humphrey said. "They have good post players here, as we did in Detroit. This league is competitive. You have to come out and compete."

Kenlaw did not offer particulars on how the new players will be used. She needs more time to assess their abilities. But with two weeks before the Mystics play their next game on Aug. 29, Kenlaw will receive ample time to evaluate Humphrey and Murphy.

If a trade was going to be made, this time period seems ideal. Because of the break in the schedule for the Olympics, the team can become acclimated and adjust to new roles before meaningful games.

"It's like a mini-training camp," Murphy said. "It's hard when you come in and meet a team and you don't have any practices."

Once the schedule resumes, the pair will be counted on to fill a major void on the roster -- a lofty task given the inexperience.

"I don't know if there is a good time [for a trade] considering the type of player Taj was," Beard said. "They're [young], and it's a huge change for them."