Top 3 Landing Spots for Hailey Van Lith After Stunning Chicago Sky Exit

On Monday, May 4, the Chicago Sky waived Hailey Van Lith, ending the former college star’s time in Chicago just one year after being drafted 11th overall.

For a franchise that invested heavily in her development, even protecting her in roster maneuvering months earlier, the move instantly sent shockwaves across the basketball world.

Chicago brought in veteran point guard Natasha Cloud on a one-year deal immediately after waiving Van Lith, making it clear that the franchise is prioritizing defense, playmaking, and immediate stability over long-term upside.

Still, Van Lith had just flashed real progress in preseason, including a 20-point performance against the Phoenix Mercury on April 25, and entered Year 2 as the kind of developmental bet teams usually protect, not abandon.

With final roster deadlines looming and the league expanding, Van Lith hits the market at exactly the point when teams are still sculpting depth charts and searching for upside plays.

Here are three realistic landing spots that could find value in the 24-year-old guard.

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1. Los Angeles Sparks

If there's a "reset button" destination in the WNBA, it's Los Angeles. The Sparks haven’t made the playoffs since 2020 and are clearly leaning into youth and experimentation as they aim to stay competitive in a loaded Western Conference. Van Lith, a former college star who’s won everywhere she’s been (Louisville, LSU, and TCU), fits as a low-risk, high-reward option.

The franchise brought in veteran guards Ariel Atkins and Erica Wheeler in the offseason, but doesn’t yet have a long-term centerpiece at the position. Plus, outside of Kelsey Plum, L.A. has lacked consistent shotmaking in the backcourt, and Van Lith could immediately help fill that void.

Van Lith averaged 17.9 points on 45% shooting in her final senior year at TCU before her injury-riddled rookie campaign with the Sky. She also put up four straight 20-point games as a junior at Louisville in the NCAA Tournament, including a 27-point outburst against a Caitlin Clark-led Iowa Hawkeyes in the Elite Eight.

2. Atlanta Dream

The Atlanta Dream quietly check a lot of boxes as a bounce-back landing spot for Van Lith, with the Angel Reese connection being front and center. Van Lith and Reese were teammates at LSU and then again in the WNBA with the Sky. That built-in familiarity matters on a team that's trying to contend now, not experiment blindly.

While Atlanta's core is strong, led by wings like Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray, plus lead guard Jordin Canada, behind that, the guard depth is relatively thin and made up entirely of either first or second-year players. That opens a lane for a scoring guard who can create her own shot in second units.

Short term, Van Lith could carve out a microwave scorer role. Long term, she benefits from playing alongside an elite frontcourt engine in Reese, where her downhill style actually has room to breathe instead of forcing structure.

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3. Portland Fire

The Portland Fire are both crowded and wide open at the same time, which is exactly why they're such a compelling, if imperfect, fit for Van Lith.

On paper, the guard room is already stocked. Portland used the expansion draft to bring in multiple ball-handlers and wings, including Sug Sutton, Nika Mühl, Carla Leite, and Maya Caldwell, plus additional guard depth like Sarah Ashlee Barker. That creates real competition, not a guaranteed pathway to minutes.

But this is a brand-new franchise still searching for its identity, built largely from role players and international prospects rather than established stars. That means roles are unsettled and shot creation is still up for grabs.

Van Lith is also a Washington native, making Portland the closest thing to a homecoming.

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This story was originally published May 5, 2026 at 6:16 PM.