Give the Toronto Tempo credit. They are not messing around!
As reported by Alexa Phillipou, the Tempo have traded for Aneesah Morrow from the Connecticut Sun in exchange for the rights to Mariia Kliundicova and a 2028 second round pick.
Breaking: The Toronto Tempo have acquired Connecticut Sun forward Aneesah Morrow in a trade that’s sending the rights to Maria Kliundikova and a 2028 second-round pick to Connecticut. pic.twitter.com/T7oJ7LOOlV
This is absolutely a phenomenal pickup for the Tempo.
Coming into the league, Aneesah Morrow was billed as an elite rebounder and double-double machine with the ability to shoot the ball from distance as well.
In the one and a half seasons she has played in the league, Morrow has lived up to the hype. This season, she is averaging close to a double-double with 11.6 points and 8.9 rebounds. Despite being undersized at 6’1” at the power forward position, Morrow has elite strength, hustle, and energy that propels her to be able to more than hold her own against taller players on both ends of the court.
For the Tempo, Morrow’s strengths will immediately be helpful and welcomed to this team.
On the defensive side, Morrow fills exactly what the Tempo have desperately needed all season long. As Zulfi Sheikh notes, Morrow led the league in defensive rebounding rate last season (31.9%). This season, the Tempo are second-worst in the league in defensive rebounding and third-worst in rebounding overall. At an average of 8.9 rebounds per game, Morrow is currently ranked eighth in the league in rebounding. For reference, Izzy Harrison is currently the Tempo’s leading rebounder with 6.4 rebounds per game. Morrow will come in and immediately become the Tempo’s best rebounder.
On the offensive side, while Morrow still needs to improve her scoring efficiency (she is currently shooting just 42% from the field, 28% from 3, and 62% from the free throw line), she works best operating in the paint through drives, hustle plays, and working in the dunker spot. The Tempo have lacked points in the paint all season long and Morrow can immediately improve that area of need.
The WNBA trade deadline is fast approaching (August 2, 2026). To be clear, I don’t think the Toronto Tempo are going to make any moves before the trade deadline. But, in the spirit of this trade season, here are 3 mock trades that the Tempo should consider:
1. Temi Fágbénlé to the Dallas Wings for Alanna Smith
Screenshot from sportrac.com of Trade between Dallas Wings and Toronto Tempo of Temi Fagbenle for Alanna Smith.
Last season Alanna Smith won co-defensive player of the year along with A’ja Wilson. This offseason, Alanna signed a 3-year max contract with the Dallas Wings. While the Wings have improved leaps and bounds, Smith has surprisingly been relegated to a bench role (playing behind Awak Kuier).
As a result, she is averaging season lows in minutes played, points, rebounds, and assists. The contrast between her max contract and current role can become quite a conundrum for the Wings. Some have already deemed her contract one of the worst current contracts in the league. From a long-term perspective, keeping Smith might also get in the way of building out this exciting Wings roster, headlined by Paige Bueckers, Jess Sheppard and Azzi Fudd.
Temi’s contract is only guaranteed this year. Flipping Smith for Temi would help the Wings to clear this potential salary cap issue well ahead of schedule, while they still retain a quality bench player in Fagbenle for their playoff run this season.
For the Tempo, they receive a player that can protect the rim, switch onto perimeter players, and play defense at an elite level. On offense, Smith is efficient near the basket, can space the floor well, and is dangerous from the 3-point line. Smith has also had extensive experience playing for Coach Sandy Brondello for the Australian national team. Her recent struggles in Dallas should not be seen as a reclamation project; rather, an opportunistic home run for the Tempo.
2. Temi Fágbénlé and the 2028 first round pick to the Washington Mystics for Shakira Austin
Screenshot from sportrac.com of Trade between Washington Mystics and Toronto Tempo of Temi Fagbenle and a 2028 First Round Pick for Shakira Austin.
Remember when the Toronto Tempo tried to sign Shakira Austin to a million-dollar contract this offseason? Since the Mystics matched the Tempo’s offer, one would imagine that door has closed. Or has it?
The Mystics currently have a log jam in their front court. Austin has been playing like a borderline all-star this season, being a beast in the paint and averaging close to a double-double. Her strengths are clear, but those strengths are also shared by fellow teammates, Kiki Iriafen and Lauren Betts – both who are still on rookie contracts. The Mystics are clearly ahead of schedule with this young team and if this young team continues to ascend, the Mystics might get to a point where they can’t afford all three bigs.
This is certainly not a 2026 problem, so it makes any trade interest from Washington unlikely. In the event that there was interest, the Tempo would instantly benefit from acquiring a player who can fill their biggest needs on both defense and offense. Giving up a 2028 first round pick will serve as the tax for getting a player as good as Austin. It’s not an ideal situation, but the Tempo would then have an elite starting center for the next few years.
3. Maria Conde to the Dallas Wings for Li Yueru
Screenshot from sportrac.com of Trade between Dallas Wings and Toronto Tempo of Mariea Conde for Li Yueru.
To address their lack of frontcourt size and depth, the Tempo could also aim for a less flashy trade by sending Maria Conde to the Dallas Wings for Li Yueru.
Conde has played a significant role for the Tempo thus far, but the result have been just ok. There have been bright spots (for a wing, Conde has been averaging an astonishing 4.6 rebounds per game) but also times where we wish she was better in her role (for instance, Conde is only shooting 36% overall and sometimes tries to do too much on the floor).
By trading Conde, the Tempo receive a true backup big in Li Yueru. Li’s game has improved year after year. She is a stretch center with a great shooting touch, is a brick wall on defense, and can offer some rim protection and rebounding. In Li, you get a player who can fit into the Tempo’s offensive scheme while also improving their biggest areas of weakness.
For Dallas, Conde provides an experienced presence to improve their depth at the wing position, which will be helpful come playoff time.
Closing
Again, I don’t think the Toronto Tempo are actually going to make any trades. Rather, the goal for the rest of the season will be to get as healthy as possible and see what this team at full strength looks like before the front office can decide how to better tweak this roster for the next season.
