The New York Liberty are the team to beat this season. Not only did they defeat the Minnesota Lynx in last year’s finals, but they also got to the Commissioner’s Cup final against the same opponent (Minnesota won). They finished first in the regular season standings last year, which enabled them to have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Next year, the championship will be difficult to retain as Betnijah Laney-Hamilton is out for 5-6 months after sustaining a knee injury in Unrivaled. She underwent surgery for the injury in March. Let’s discuss why Betnijah Laney-Hamilton’s injury hinders their chances of winning the championship again.
Why Betnijah Laney-Hamilton’s Injury Negatively Affects the New York Liberty
The Replacement May Be A Downgrade
The New York Liberty will need to find a replacement for Laney-Hamilton. They should opt to sign one of the players who got waived before the season started, as a rotation spot has now opened up. The first player that comes to mind is Deja Kelly. Kelly did extremely well in the preseason. She scored 15 points, including a game winner with a few seconds left in her second preseason game against the Phoenix Mercury. This came days after she scored nine points in seven minutes in her first preseason game against the Dallas Wings. If they want defense, they should opt for Celeste Taylor. Taylor can help any team in the league defensively as she can block shots and harass the opponent. The downside with her though is that she doesn’t offer much offensively. These two options don’t possess the same quality as Laney-Hamilton.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton Played A Huge Role Last Season
Laney-Hamilton is a versatile player who can hit clutch shots and make an impact on the defensive end. She played a crucial role in the New York Liberty’s run to the playoff finals last year. She had a strong regular season and averaged seven points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in the playoffs. It is hard to imagine Laney-Hamilton improving after coming back from the injury, as she is 31 years old. If she doesn’t come back the same player, the franchise may consider trading her or giving her rotation spot to someone else.
Will Nyara Sabally and Leonie Fiebich Maintain Their Level?
Nyara Sabally and Leonie Fiebich will have more prominent roles following the injury to Laney-Hamilton. Both of them were crucial last season, particularly in the playoffs. In game five of the finals, Sabally had 13 points off the bench against Cheryl Reeve’s side. If she didn’t have that impact, then the New York Liberty may not have won the championship.
Fiebich had a great first year in the league. She was named to the All-Rookie Team and had a solid output for the 2024 champions. The German Olympian averaged 11.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in the playoffs. It is remarkable to think she joined the league at 24 years old, given what she has shown so far.
Photo credit: © Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
