Chicago Sky in WNBA free agency: Candace Parker and Courtney Vandersloot are leaving. What will Allie Quigley decide?

WNBA free agency officially opens today — and the Chicago Sky could be an entirely different team very soon.

Here’s what you need to know about Candace Parker, Courtney Vandersloot, other possible departures, front-office news and much more as the day gets going. Get the latest news here and sign up for our free alerts.

Candace Parker chose to leave the Sky for the same reason she joined the team in 2021 — to go home.

The Naperville native and two-time WNBA champion on Saturday announced her decision to sign with the Las Vegas Aces as a free agent. In an Instagram post, she cited her family as her primary reason for returning closer to the West Coast.

[ [Don’t miss] Looking back at Candace Parker’s 2 seasons with the Chicago Sky, including the team’s 1st WNBA title and all those records ]

When Parker came home to Chicago in 2021 after spending the first 13 seasons of her career with the Los Angeles Sparks, she unlocked the final piece of a championship puzzle alongside Courtney Vandersloot, Allie Quigley and Kahleah Copper. After leading a 16-16 team to an unlikely WNBA title in 2021 — the first in franchise history — Parker helped the Sky win a franchise-record 26 games in 2022 before losing in the league semifinals.

Parker made back-to-back All-Star Game appearances in her two seasons with the Sky, the sixth and seventh selections for the two-time WNBA MVP.

Four-time All-Star and longtime Sky captain Courtney Vandersloot announced Tuesday evening that she also won’t return to Chicago for the 2023 season.

Nicknamed “The Floor General,” Vandersloot was drafted with the third pick in 2011 by the Sky. She had spent her entire WNBA career in Chicago, becoming a fan favorite and fixture of the team over the years.

Vandersloot re-signed with the Sky on a one-year deal in 2022 and averaged 11.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists. With her wife, Allie Quigley, rumored to be retiring, Vandersloot has drawn interest from the Seattle Storm and New York Liberty.

Just days before deals can be finalized, it was announced Vandersloot signed with Storm star Breanna Stewart’s overseas club, stoking talk that the two will be teaming up when they choose their new destinations. Vandersloot’s departure creates an opportunity for guards Julie Allemand and Gary native Dana Evans.

Allie Quigley

Originally drafted by the Storm at No. 22 in 2008, Quigley was waived, then signed with the Phoenix Mercury. The former DePaul star also had stints with the Indiana Fever, San Antonio Silver Stars (now Las Vegas Aces) and Storm before landing in Chicago in 2013.

Quigley re-signed with the Sky on a one-year deal in 2022 with hopes of the team defending its WNBA championship. The 36-year-old guard is rumored to be leaning toward retiring this offseason after a career that includes three All-Star selections (2017-19), two Sixth Woman of the Year awards (2014-15) and the top spot on the Sky’s all-time scoring list.

During the 2022 WNBA All-Star weekend in Chicago, Quigley won the 3-point contest for the fourth time (also 2017, ‘18 and ‘21), setting a league record. She also set a record in 2018 for most shots made in an All-Star 3-point competition across both the NBA and WNBA, sinking 20 of 25 shots for 29 points.

In addition to her WNBA career, Quigley has played basketball internationally in Hungary, Russia, Turkey, Poland and Italy. In 2018, she married teammate Courtney Vandersloot.

[ [Don’t miss] ‘It takes work. It takes sacrifice.’ How Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley have set the standard for the Chicago Sky. ]

Emma Meesseman

After spending the first seven years of her career with the Washington Mystics and winning the 2019 championship, Meesseman signed with the Sky on a one-year-deal in 2022. As a starter with the Sky, she averaged 12.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 34.2% from 3-point range. Meesseman came to Chicago in search of another title, but the team fell short.

She is expected to play for the Belgian national team this summer, and her return to the Sky appears unlikely with the team losing Parker, Vandersloot and potentially Azurá Stevens. Should Meesseman return to the WNBA this season, she likely would want to join a contender — and there are too many question marks in Chicago.

Azurá Stevens

The 6-foot-6 forward from UConn signed with the Sky in 2020 after spending her first two seasons with the Dallas Wings. Stevens played 35 games in 2022, averaging 10.6 points and 3.9 rebounds while mostly coming off the bench.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Stevens has narrowed her choices to the Minnesota Lynx, the Sparks and the Sky. With Parker agreeing to a deal with the Aces and Meesseman unlikely to return, re-signing Stevens — a versatile big and strong defender — should be a priority for the Sky.

The Sky hired Nadia Rawlinson for a newly created role of operating chairman. Rawlinson, 43, aims to establish a stronger base for the business aspects of the team as the WNBA continues to grow on and off the court.

“For so long, many WNBA teams have been just trying to survive,” Rawlinson said. “Especially from an operational standpoint, they were just trying to get through and make it. And now it’s time to thrive.”

A Lake Forest native, Rawlinson’s affinity for the Sky derives from a lifetime of Chicago basketball. She grew up during the golden days of the Bulls — trying to trick-or-treat at Michael Jordan’s house as a kid, celebrating her 16th birthday in the rafter seats of a game, sneaking out to take the Metra downtown with friends to celebrate the 1997 championship.

After winning the 2021 WNBA championship, much of the Sky’s core re-signed on one-year deals as they looked to become the first back-to-back champions since the Lisa Leslie-led Sparks in 2001-02.

Though they started the season with a loss in overtime, the Sky went on to franchise-best 26-10 record and the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. The Sky defeated the New York Liberty 2-1 in the first round but fell to the Connecticut Sun in the semifinals in five games.