Connecticut Sun Don't Plan On Trading Marina Mabrey, Who Asked To Be Dealt This Month

The Connecticut Sun don't plan on trading guard Marina Mabrey after she asked to be dealt earlier this month.

Team president Jennifer Rizzotti told The Associated Press in a phone interview Tuesday night that it wasn't in the franchise's best interest to move Mabrey, whom she expects to be a big part of the team's present and future.

"Marina is someone we want on our roster," Rizzotti said. "The decision not to trade her is we want her to play for us. She's a competitor and we like her as a person. We want to keep her around. She's an easy piece to build around."

Mabrey came to Connecticut last summer after asking for a trade from the Chicago Sky just before the All-Star break. She averaged 14.9 points and 3.4 assists in 16 games for the Sun, mostly as a reserve. Connecticut sent Rachel Banham and Moriah Jefferson to Chicago along with their first-round pick this season and a pick swap next year.

"We wanted her for longer than a half-year, that was a priority for us," Rizzotti said. "She was trying to fit in an already established roster last year."