Hailey Van Lith is back on the waiver market, and the Atlanta Dream is the latest team linked to her. After the Connecticut Sun claimed her before in under 48 hours, they’ve now kept her longer following her second waiver this season. Basketball analyst Mick Curley says a reunion with Angel Reese in Atlanta could work because things are different in Dream when compared to Chicago.

In a video shared on the WNBA Daily YouTube channel on Friday, basketball analyst Mick Curley gave his perspective on the speculation. The rumor suggests that Van Lith could join the Atlanta Dream and reunite with her former teammate Angel Reese. Naturally, there are some concerns because Van Lith’s previous stint alongside Reese in Chicago did not produce the expected chemistry. As a result, there are worries that history could repeat itself if the two end up playing together again. However, Curley does not believe that will be the case. According to him, “The Atlanta Dream is different.”

For Curley, the potential move does not immediately look appealing when viewed through the lens of Van Lith’s previous partnership with Reese. As he explained, “I don’t love this from the perspective of HVL has not succeeded at all in her career while being adjacent to Angel. While being on the same team as Angel Reese.” However, he does not believe either player is to blame for how things unfolded in Chicago.

One thing that does make Curley more optimistic about the rumoured move is the fact that Atlanta is a completely different environment from the Chicago Sky. The idea is simple. Unlike the situation in Chicago, Atlanta is not a team that revolves entirely around one player. As Curley explained, “This is not going to Angel’s team. Chicago was Angel’s team. And when it came down to it, the Chicago Sky were always going to build a team around Angel rather than HVL. Hailey Van Lith was not a priority whatsoever in Chicago.”

The timing matters too. Reese arrived in Atlanta this April in a blockbuster trade for two first-round picks. She’s already embedded in the team’s plans. Van Lith wouldn’t be entering a “Reese-led” circus like Chicago, as she’d be joining a roster where Reese is one piece among stars like Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, and Brionna Jones.

However, unlike the Sky, Atlanta appears to be a much better basketball fit for Van Lith. Curley specifically pointed to the team’s offensive structure as a positive. As he said, “I do feel like the offensive system in Atlanta is pretty okay for HVL.”

Looking at the season Van Lith had before being waived by the Connecticut Sun, it does appear that she could bring some positive contributions to the Dream. She played eight games for Connecticut and averaged 8.1 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, playing 17.6 minutes per game. She also did so while shooting an efficient 49.2% from the field, 47.1% from three-point range, and 83.3% from the free-throw line. In fact, her waiver from the Sun had little to do with her on-court performance. Instead, it came as a result of French guard Leïla Lacan returning to the team following her overseas championship commitments.

Right now, the rumor linking Van Lith to Atlanta has not been confirmed. However, if the move does eventually happen, it will certainly be interesting to see whether a reunion with Angel Reese produces a more positive outcome this time around. After all, things did not work out particularly well when the two played together for the Chicago Sky.

Hailey Van Lith to Atlanta Dream? Examining the chances of a reunion with Angel Reese 

At the moment, the Atlanta Dream have their full 12-player roster filled. According to WNBA roster rules, teams cannot carry more than 12 players on standard contracts at any given time. So, if the Dream is going to bring Hailey Van Lith in on a standard contract, they would first need to waive one of their current roster players. Only then would they be able to negotiate and sign Van Lith to the team.

A better and more straightforward way to bring Van Lith in would be through a developmental contract. Under the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement, teams can carry up to two developmental players. Right now, the Atlanta Dream has only one of those developmental spots occupied. And because Van Lith has fewer than four years of WNBA service, she qualifies perfectly for such a role. That means Atlanta could sign her immediately to a developmental contract. And so they don’t have to cut any of their main roster players or run into salary cap complications.

Another possible route would be through a hardship contract. This scenario could come into play if Atlanta were to suffer a series of injuries that leave them with fewer than 10 healthy available players. It could also happen if multiple rostered players are in line to miss at least three weeks because of injury or illness.

If the rumors are true, then the Dream will most likely be exploring the developmental-player route. But regardless, do you think this rumor will turn out to be true? And if it does, do you think Van Lith will fit right into the Dream team?