Chicago Sky Make $555K Move for WNBA Star After Waiving Hailey Van Lith

After a strong two-game preseason stretch with the Chicago Sky, in which she averaged 12.5 points and 4.5 rebounds, second-year guard Hailey Van Lith was officially waived on Monday afternoon ahead of the WNBA season.

The Sky open their season on Saturday against the Portland Fire, and roughly an hour after parting ways with Van Lith - a move largely tied to stylistic and schematic preferences from head coach Tyler Marsh - Chicago made an immediate roster addition.

The team signed veteran guard Natasha Cloud to a one-year, $555,000 deal.

"Adding a cloud to our sky," the Sky posted. "Welcome to the Chi, Tash!"

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Van Lith averaged just over 12 minutes per game as a rookie for the Chicago Sky after being selected No. 11 overall, but it's clear the franchise has a different vision for where the team is headed based on its offseason moves.

In addition to waiving Van Lith, the Sky made a shocking trade involving Angel Reese and added several notable players, including Rickea Jackson, DiJonai Carrington, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Azura Stevens, and Jacy Sheldon. They also selected Gabriela Jaquez, a UCLA national champion, with the No. 5 overall pick in the draft.

Chicago has struggled over the past two seasons, finishing 13–27 under Teresa Weatherspoon and then 10–34 in Marsh's first year.

That downturn led to significant roster turnover as the franchise looks to return to the postseason for the first time since 2023, which marked the end of a five-year stretch of playoff appearances that included a WNBA championship in 2021 under James Wade.

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This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 12:05 PM.