Aaliyah Edwards

Edwards wasn't particularly efficient from the floor during Wednesday's regular-season finale, but she posted a season-high mark in steals while also tying her season-best mark in rebounds during the loss. Edwards showed promise as a rookie with the Mystics in 2024 but struggled to replicate that production this season, even after being traded from Washington to Connecticut in early August. Over 36 appearances between the two clubs, the 23-year-old averaged 5.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per game. Edwards could see a slight increase in usage next year if some of the team's veterans sign elsewhere, but the Sun also have plenty of young talent, so Edwards will likely have to settle for a complementary role in 2026.

Edwards took advantage of a huge bump in playing time, as Aneesah Morrow (chest) left the game early. Edwards wasn't very efficient from the floor, but she was strong on the glass while showing off good hands on the defensive end. If Morrow is sidelined, Edwards could see a bump in responsibilities.

Edwards led the Sun's second unit in points and was the team's third-leading scorer in the blowout loss. After logging single-digit minutes in Wednesday's win over Dallas for the first time since being acquired by Connecticut on Aug. 7, the second-year forward played a season-high 21 minutes due to Olivia Nelson-Ododa (back) being sidelined. Edwards has appeared in 10 games with the Sun, posting double-digit points in two of them.

Edwards had a quiet night on the offensive end but still recorded a game-high mark in blocks. The second-year forward has appeared in seven games with the Sun since being traded, during which she has averaged 5.3 points and 3.6 rebounds across 15.1 minutes per game.

Edwards was efficient from the floor and made the most of her 16 minutes, as this was the first time she scored in double digits since the All-Star break. As good as she was Thursday, it's hard to see Edwards putting up this level of efficiency regularly. Plus, the fact that she's averaging 12.2 minutes per game off the bench since the break limits her upside.