“Why would anyone try to force someone to play on their team when they don’t want to be there?” Those were the strong words from Marina Mabrey’s agent after the Connecticut Sun denied her trade request. From Mabrey’s perspective, the move made perfect sense. The Sun lost nearly everything this offseason. From the head coach to the starters, everyone had left. A team once viewed as a title contender suddenly looked like it was entering rebuild mode. Mabrey didn’t want to be part of that transition, and as the season unfolds, her stance is starting to make a lot more sense.
The Connecticut Sun may have picked up their first win of the season with a thrilling 85-83 victory over the Indiana Fever on May 29, but any momentum they hoped to build didn’t last long. Just days later, the Sun were brought back to reality in the harshest way possible when the defending champions, the New York Liberty, handed them a brutal 100-52 loss.
Rachel DeMita didn’t hold back while assessing the Sun’s struggles after their blowout loss to the Liberty. Speaking on her YouTube channel, she acknowledged that Connecticut is currently one of the worst teams in the league and expressed sympathy for Marina Mabrey. She said, “I feel bad for her because she got stuck in Connecticut. She asked for a trade. They did not grant it to her. She’s not happy there. She did not want to stay there. And she has, until this game, really been their premier player.”
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 29: Marina Mabrey #4 of the Connecticut Sun celebrates her basket against the Minnesota Lynx in the third quarter of Game One of the Semi-Finals during the WNBA Playoffs at Target Center on September 29, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Sun defeated the Lynx 73-70. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
Marina Mabrey has been one of the lone bright spots for the Connecticut Sun this season, averaging 15 points, 5.1 rebounds, and a team-high 3.1 assists per game. She’s arguably been their best player alongside the veteran Tina Charles. But on Sunday, things took a historic turn for the worse. In the blowout loss to the Liberty, Mabrey managed just 8 points on 2-of-11 shooting in 28 minutes.
To make matters worse, the Sun were outscored by 55 points while she was on the floor, marking the worst single-game plus-minus in WNBA history, according to Polymarket Hoops. Definitely not the way you want to kick off the Commissioner’s Cup. And if anything, it just adds more weight to her case for wanting out.
The president of the organization eventually stepped forward to address the controversy surrounding Mabrey’s denied trade request. Let’s take a look at what she had to say.
Jennifer Rizzotti gives her take on Marina Mabrey’s trade request
The Sun made unwanted history this offseason, becoming the first team in WNBA history to lose all their starters from their final playoff game heading into the new season. DeWanna Bonner, Alyssa Thomas, Brionna Jones, DiJonai Carrington, and Ty Harris all left. The Sun president, Jennifer Rizzotti, made it clear that they wanted to build their team around Mabrey.
“The reasons that we have for not trading Marina are rooted in positivity,” Rizzotti told ESPN. “It’s rooted in a desire to build around her, have her here, have her be the catalyst for what we want to do offensively, taking advantage of her versatility, knowing that the style that [coach] Rashid [Meziane] plays with will suit her game, and knowing that we can put her in an individual situation to be really successful as this current CBA closes and a new one opens.”
Rizzotti’s betting big on Mabrey to lead the Sun into a new era, especially with a new CBA looming in 2026 that could open up roster moves. But keeping a star who wants out is a risky move, and it’s got fans and analysts wondering if the Sun are misreading the room.
The Sun gave up quite a bit to acquire Marina Mabrey, sending their 2025 first-round pick, a 2026 pick swap, and guards Rachel Banham and Moriah Jefferson to Chicago. It’s only natural they’d want to get that value back. Mabrey has been very good this season for the Sun, but if the losses keep piling up, it’s fair to wonder how motivated she’ll remain. That said, she’s a true professional. No matter the circumstances, professional athletes like Mabrey show up and give everything they’ve got on the court.
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