Liberty acquire G Natasha Cloud, send first-round picks to Sun

The New York Liberty are acquiring guard Natasha Cloud from the Connecticut Sun for a pair of first-round draft picks.

The Sun will receive the No. 7 overall selection in the 2025 WNBA Draft and a 2026 first-rounder.

Cloud, 33, never played for the Sun.

Connecticut acquired her in a February trade that sent Alyssa Thomas to the Phoenix Mercury. The Athletic reported that she asked the Sun -- which has lost all five 2024 starters through trades and free agency -- to deal her again to a place where she had a chance to win.

"I just want the best situation for myself and my family moving forward," she said after the deal, per the report. "And I just want to be in an organization that truly invests from top to bottom, facilities, team, location, all of that. I want to compete for championships."

The Liberty are the defending WNBA champions

"We could not be more excited to welcome Natasha Cloud to the New York Liberty family," general manager Jonathan Kolb said Sunday. "Tash is someone who we identified years ago as a prime fit for our team and embodies everything we look for in a player."

Cloud played eight seasons with the Washington Mystics, winning a WNBA championship, and one for the Mercury.

She has career averages of 8.6 points, 5.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 286 regular-season games.

In 2022, she led the league in assists (7.0) and also was named to the All-Defensive first team.

The Liberty will begin the season May 17 at home against the Las Vegas Aces.

--Field Level Media