The Chicago Sky did not extend a qualifying offer to Chennedy Carter, despite the fact that the 5'9" guard is the team's leading scorer, and the WNBA world is rife with speculation about where she will end up. Some (including The Athletic's Sabreena Merchant), have placed Carter with the Golden State Valkyries. The prospect of Carter joining the team is intriguing, but it comes with off-the-court concerns to analyze.
Carter joined the Sky on a training camp contract ahead of the 2024 season and fought to make it a starting spot. She averaged 17.5 points and 3.5 rebounds throughout the season, and was the centerpiece of the Sky's offensive game — a fact that is at the heart of the confusion and surprise surrounding the team's decision.
As Chicago Tribune sports reporter Julia Poe explained, Carter's offensive skills won't be of use to the team in 2025 because the Sky needs to rework its offensive plan completely. Last season Carter "scored points, created shots out of nothing and forced the Sky to pick up the pace in transition. But her style of play deviated sharply from the ideal system for the Sky," Poe wrote.
"Carter doesn’t take 3-pointers. She required the fourth-highest usage rate (28.4) in the league to sustain her scoring, which meant the Sky’s offense catered heavily to isolation guard play that left Cardoso and Reese disengaged and uninspired on the offensive end," she added.
How Chennedy Carter could be a fit for the Valkyries
In her piece for The Athletic, Merchant expressed surprise that the Sky didn't retain Carter at least for trade value, and noted that there could be off-the-court reasons why. She also pointed out a glaring reality: this is the third WNBA team that has given Carter the boot, and it could prove difficult for most teams to take her on.
The Valkyries are the new kids on the court, and they may be willing to try out a seasoned veteran who has proven her ability to shoot (especially since that's been heavily emphasized by the team's front office) — especially since they could sign Carter for one year, and renegotiate as needed under the terms of the new WNBA CBA. It's also true that Carter will bring a dedicated fan base to whichever team she goes to, and that's something the Valkyries could benefit from in their inaugural year.
Chennedy Carter's off-the-court problems could hold her back
The biggest roadblock Carter might face while looking for a new WNBA home is her own history of off-the-court fights and locker room problems. The Atlanta Dream suspended Carter back in 2021 after she remained in the locker room for the entire duration of the second half of a game against the Aces. The story was that her then-teammate Courtney Williams (who now plays for the Minnesota Lynx) asked her to cheer for her teammates a little more from the bench, and Carter declined.
After the game, Carter allegedly told Williams she wanted to fight. Though the pair never actually fought, the team opted to suspend Carter indefinitely.
There were also rumors — spurred by player reports at the end of the 2024 season — that former Chicago Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon did little to control Carter's temper in the team's locker room last year. As Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times put it, "According to multiple league sources, players were unhappy with the dynamic created in the locker room last year due to Carter’s behavior, which went unchecked by former coach Teresa Weatherspoon."
"There was concern within the team regarding how re-signing Carter would impact the Sky’s chances of landing other free agents," she added.