A day after coach Cheryl Reeve provided no timetable of return for rotational guard Aerial Powers (left ankle), the Lynx announced the signing of rookie guard Kayana Traylor to a hardship contract — the second such addition they've made within a two-week span.
Traylor, a 1,000-point scorer who averaged 9.6 points per game on 41% shooting across her five seasons at Virginia Tech and Purdue, was selected by the Chicago Sky as the No. 23 overall pick in the latest WNBA draft. She played in three preseason games for the Sky, which included a 13-point performance in 17 minutes against the Lynx, before being waived May 17.
She was 3 of 6 from beyond the arc against the Lynx, who since then have proved to be the worst three-point shooting team in the WNBA. Their 4-of-22 mark from distance in a lopsided Thursday loss to the Connecticut Sun dropped their three-point percentage to league-low 29%.
Considering Traylor shot 33% from three-point range in each of her two seasons with the Hokies in 2022-23 and 2021-22, she gives Reeve another perimeter option to potentially better space the floor for star forward Napheesa Collier and No. 2 overall pick Diamond Miller, who Reeve said is "trending towards" a return to game action after her two practices back from a right ankle injury.
When asked what Traylor brings to the team, Reeve said: "Depth, particularly at the 2-guard spot. When we looked for the hardship, we wanted it to be different from what we have. We wanted it to be a young player that we could get a look at. And that's why Traylor is here."
The Lynx's other hardship player, 6-1 forward and former No. 4 overall pick Emily Engstler, joined the team on June 14 just days before news broke that 6-4 forward Jessica Shepard was away from the team due to a non-COVID illness that has sidelined her the past four games. Engstler has appeared in two games.
