MN Lynx Make Trades and Signings

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Lynx today announced the team has executed a sign-and-trade deal with the Seattle Storm, sending restricted free agent forward Natasha Howard to the Storm in exchange for a 2018 2nd-round draft pick (17th overall) and the right to exercise a swap of 1st-round draft picks in 2019.

“We appreciate Natasha’s valuable contributions to our team over the last two seasons and wish her well in her new journey with the Seattle Storm,” said Lynx Head Coach and General Manager Cheryl Reeve.

Originally selected by Indiana in the 1st round (5th overall) of the 2014 WNBA Draft, Howard was acquired by Minnesota on Feb. 2, 2016 in a sign-and-trade deal that sent restricted free agent Devereaux Peters to the Fever. Howard appeared in all 68 regular-season games in her two seasons with Minnesota, averaging 5.5 points (on 53.5% shooting) and 3.0 rebounds in 13.1 minutes per game. She tallied a career-high 21 points vs. San Antonio on July 2, 2016, one of 12 double-figure scoring nights in a Lynx uniform.

Howard holds career averages of 5.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 132 games with Indiana and Minnesota, shooting 47.2% from the field and 66.7% from the free throw line. She saw action in 15 postseason games in her two years with the Lynx, averaging 3.5 points and 1.8 rebounds in 9.5 minutes per game overall while helping Minnesota capture the 2017 WNBA Championship.

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Lynx today announced the team has re-signed forward Cecilia Zandalasini and has signed free agent forwards Lynetta Kizer and Endy Miyem. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not released.

“We appreciated Cecilia joining us late in the season last year,” said Lynx Head Coach and General Manager Cheryl Reeve. “She is coming off an exciting 2017 that included the Italian National Team narrowly missing qualification for the 2018 World Cup. Her performance at Eurobasket 2017 was described as the ‘greatest FIBA EuroBasket Women debut of all time’. We look forward to having Cecilia for a full WNBA season and are excited about her future as a Minnesota Lynx.”

Zandalasini, a 6-1 forward from Broni, Italy, completed her rookie season with Minnesota after signing as a free agent on Aug. 28. She saw action in the final three contests of the regular season, totaling 19 minutes, two points and one rebound. Zandalasini appeared in five playoff games, contributing two points and one assist in 11 minutes en route to her first WNBA title. She is currently playing for Famila Schio, averaging 9.5 ppg and 3.0 rpg in 13 Italian league starts and 10.9 ppg and 3.5 rpg in 11 EuroLeague contests.

“I’d like to welcome both Lynetta and Endy to the Minnesota Lynx organization,” said Reeve. “Both Lynetta and Endy are skilled front court players with successful basketball resumes who will provide quality depth behind Rebekkah and Sylvia.”

A six-year WNBA veteran, Kizer played in 20 games for Connecticut last season, averaging 6.0 ppg and 2.9 rpg in 11.9 mpg while shooting 48.0% from the field. Originally selected by Tulsa in the 3rd round (29th overall) of the 2012 WNBA Draft, the 6-4 forward has also played for Phoenix and Indiana during her career, highlighted by a trip to the WNBA Finals with the Fever in 2015. A Maryland graduate, she tallied a career-best 9.6 ppg (55.6%) with 3.2 rpg in 33 games for Indiana in 2016 and holds career averages of 6.2 ppg and 2.9 rpg in 13.5 mpg, hitting 48.5% from the floor and 80.9% from the line in 166 contests (28 starts).

Miyem, a 6-2 forward from Reims, France, is in her second season with the Italian club Famila Schio, where she is averaging 10.8 ppg (48.4%) and 3.9 rpg in 13 LegA games along with 9.2 ppg (48.5%) and 3.0 rpg in 13 EuroLeague outings. A two-time Olympian, she was part of France's silver-medal-winning entry at the 2012 London Games and was the team's leading scorer (10.6 ppg on 51.5% shooting) in 2016, when they placed 4th in Rio de Janeiro. She has also represented France at the FIBA World Championship for Women in 2010 and 2014 and has played at the club level for Dynamo Kursk (Russia) and Bourges (France).