Shatori

Walker-Kimbrough

Canada received a status downgrade not long before Wednesday’s opening tip against the Wings. With her unavailable to play due to the illness, Atlanta will be losing one of its better offensive weapons as of late, as the veteran guard is averaging 16.2 points and 6.6 assists over nine games in July. Te-Hina Paopao will fill in as the starting point guard and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough will likely receive more playing time

In Rhyne Howard’s absence, Walker-Kimbrough has gotten much more run. In two straight games Walker-Kimbrough has scored in double digits while shooting the ball with high efficiency. The Dream wing didn’t miss a shot on Sunday night, hitting both her threes and used her quickness to get into the paint and score. Walker-Kimbrough was responsible for a bit under a third of the Dream offense in the fourth. She did most of her damage in that final frame scoring nine of her total 12 points.

Howard injured her left knee during Friday’s loss to the Fever. While she did return to that game to begin the second half, the injury will keep Atlanta’s second-leading scorer out for at least one game. Shatori Walker-Kimbrough was the replacement in the starting lineup the last time Atlanta was without Howard, and she may receive another opportunity to start against the Liberty.

Walker-Kimbrough is replacing the injured Rhyne Howard (arm) in the Dream’s starting lineup on Thursday to make her first start of the season. Howard injured her arm in Atlanta’s most recent game against New York, and her status will be something for fantasy managers to monitor in the coming days. Meanwhile, Walker-Kimbrough’s addition to the starting lineup will bring another ball-handler and a veteran presence to the opening unit.

Howard injured her left arm during the third quarter of Sunday’s win over the Liberty and did not return to the game. The Dream guard no longer has her arm in a sling, and head coach Karl Smesko described Howard as “day-to-day.” Te-Hina Paopao, Nia Coffey and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough are three players whose minutes may increase with Howard sidelined.

Howard played just 24 minutes on Sunday before exiting Sunday’s contest in the middle of the third quarter with an arm injury. She left the floor and headed to the locker room before eventually being ruled out and making her way back to the bench in a sling. Atlanta won’t play again until it hosts Seattle on Thursday, giving the dynamic guard a few days to recover. Should she be unavailable vs. the Storm, Te-Hina Paopao, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and Nia Coffey could see more opportunities than usual.

Canada has been out since injuring her right knee during the preseason, opening up a place in the starting lineup for rookie Te-Hina Paopao. Canada’s return will give Atlanta a much-needed boost on the perimeter, with Paopao heading to the bench. Also due to take a hit to her fantasy prospects is Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, who has taken on more playmaking responsibilities.

Paopao was hit in the face during the first quarter of Saturday’s win over the Wings and did not return. Maya Campbell played more minutes in her absence and moves into the starting lineup for Sunday’s game. Shatori Walker-Kimbrough may also pick up additional minutes in Paopao’s absence.

Thrown into the fire immediately due to Jordin Canada’s knee injury, Paopao had her best game of the season’s opening week on Thursday. The rookie guard’s 11 points were one more than her total in Atlanta’s first two games. And after playing 18 minutes in Tuesday’s win over the Fever, she logged 30 in Thursday’s rematch. Paopao’s improved play led to fewer minutes for Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, who missed her lone shot attempt and recorded one rebound in nine minutes. Rostered in just over seven percent of ESPN leagues, Paopao has not done enough to merit being added in standard leagues. But she’s worth tracking, especially with Canada out for a few more weeks.

Jones, the sixth overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, made 24 starts for the Dream last season. However, with a coaching change and the additions of players like veteran Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and draft pick Te-Hina Paopao, there wasn’t room for Jones on the team’s final roster. Once she clears waivers, the former Stanford standout can sign as a free agent with any team.