Liberty acquire Cloud in trade with Sun

The New York Liberty landed veteran guard Natasha Cloud from the Connecticut Sun in exchange for first-round picks in consecutive drafts, the teams announced Sunday.

New York is sending Connecticut the seventh overall pick in this year's draft and a first-rounder in 2026.

Cloud spent the 2024 campaign with the Phoenix Mercury after playing eight seasons with the Washington Mystics, which drafted her 15th overall in 2015. She started all 38 regular-season games for Phoenix last season, averaging 11.5 points, 6.9 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steals. She also earned a spot on the All-Defensive second team, marking the third All-Defensive recognition of her career.

The 33-year-old, who will likely fill the gap in the rotation created by Courtney Vandersloot's return to the Chicago Sky, provides the defending champs with more security behind Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, . The duo led the Liberty to the franchise's first championship in 2024 and were complimented by a solid, defensive-minded supporting cast that included Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and former MVP Jonquel Jones.

Connecticut acquired Cloud from Phoenix in February as part of a four-team blockbuster. That deal was headlined by the Sun sending five-time All-Star Alyssa Thomas to the Mercury following 11 seasons in Connecticut.