WNBA Trade Deadline: Tempo Acquire Aneesah Morrow in Blockbuster Deal

The 2026 WNBA trade deadline is fast approaching, with just under 48 hours to go until the 3:00 p.m. ET cutoff on Sunday. The first trade of the season has finally been announced, with the Toronto Tempo making a significant move by acquiring Connecticut Sun forward Aneesah Morrow.

In exchange for Morrow, the Sun will receive the rights to Tempo forward Maria Kliundikova and the team’s 2028 second-round draft pick. The trade has sent shockwaves through the WNBA community, with many teams expressing surprise at the Sun’s inability to secure a better return for their talented young forward.

Aneesah Morrow: The Star Forward Heading to the Tempo

Aneesah Morrow is a 23-year-old forward who has been making waves in the WNBA with her impressive performances. As the Sun’s No. 7 pick in the 2025 draft, Morrow has quickly established herself as one of the league’s top young players. This season, she has started nine games and is averaging 11.6 points and 8.6 rebounds while playing around 23 minutes per game.

Morrow has registered nine double-doubles through her 20 games with the Sun this season, demonstrating her ability to dominate games on both ends of the floor. Her impressive defensive rebounding rate of 31.9% has also made her a valuable asset for the Tempo, who have struggled with rebounding this season.

The Tempo are thrilled to welcome Morrow to their roster, with general manager Monica Wright Rogers expressing her excitement about the trade in an official press release. ‘We’re thrilled to welcome Aneesah to our organization,’ Rogers said. ‘She’s a relentless competitor who impacts the game in so many ways, particularly with her ability to rebound at a high level.’

Maria Kliundikova: The Talented Forward Headed to the Sun

Maria Kliundikova is a 6-foot-4 forward who was picked by the Tempo in the expansion draft. However, she has decided not to play in the WNBA this season, choosing instead to stay with her family in Russia. The 2028 second-round draft pick is a significant asset for the Sun, who will be rebranding and relocating to Houston after this season.

Kliundikova has three WNBA seasons under her belt, having played with the Los Angeles Sparks and Minnesota Lynx. In 2019, she averaged 7.8 points on 49% shooting in 12 minutes per game, while last season she averaged 4.4 points on 50% shooting while playing 11 minutes per game.

The Sun are disappointed to see Morrow depart, particularly given the team’s struggles with frontcourt depth this season. With Brittney Griner and Aaliyah Edwards currently out with knee injuries, the team now only has two healthy players to give them a presence in the post with starting center Olivia Nelson-Ododa and rookie Raegan Beers, who has averaged under 11 minutes per game this season.

Connecticut Sun President Jen Rizzotti expressed her gratitude for Morrow’s time with the team in an official press release. ‘We are incredibly grateful for the time Aneesah spent with the Connecticut Sun and for the professionalism, commitment, and buy-in she showed from the moment we drafted her.’

WNBA Trade Grades: Tempo Get an A, Sun Get a D

The Tempo have secured a much-needed frontcourt boost with the acquisition of Aneesah Morrow, while the Sun have failed to secure a better return for their talented young forward. The trade grades are as follows:

Tempo grade: A

The Tempo needed frontcourt depth, and Morrow’s impressive performances make her a valuable asset for the team. Her ability to rebound at a high level will be a significant boost for the Tempo, who have struggled with rebounding this season.

Sun grade: D

The Sun are all but officially out of the 2026 playoff race, and this trade does nothing to address their frontcourt depth issues. The team’s struggles with injuries and inconsistency have been well-documented this season, and the loss of Morrow will only exacerbate these problems.

The Sun’s inability to secure a better return for Morrow is also disappointing, particularly given the team’s struggles to compete this season. The trade has sent shockwaves through the WNBA community, with many teams expressing surprise at the Sun’s inability to secure a better deal.