Sky waive Hailey Van Lith, sign Natasha Cloud

One of the most-marketable rookies in the WNBA is suddenly a free agent. The Sky cut Hailey Van Lith on Monday — the No. 11 pick in the 2025 draft — after a single rookie season. ESPN's reporting framed it as a "style of play preference" call from new head coach Tyler Marsh, who is rebuilding Chicago's roster around defense and pace.

The Van Lith numbers backed up the call: 3.5 points in 12.4 minutes, 33.9% from the field, 16.1% from three. She spent the offseason rehabbing an ankle injury that hurt her rookie year. At 5-foot-9, she struggled defensively against bigger guards. The Sky's offseason additions — Skylar Diggins, Courtney Vandersloot back, Jacy Sheldon, DiJonai Carrington, Gabriela Jaquez — left no developmental minutes for her anyway.

In her place: Natasha Cloud on a one-year, $555,000 deal. Cloud is 34, three-time All-WNBA defensive selection, 2019 champion with Washington, and averaged 5.1 assists last year for the Liberty. She'll start while Vandersloot rehabs an ACL. Van Lith's reps are already working the phones — Portland and Seattle are floated as landing spots in CBS Sports' reporting. Either way, Chicago's vision is now clear: experience over upside, defense over scoring.