The Washington Mystics waived both 2020 WNBA Draft picks, Jaylyn Agnew and Sug Sutton. The team announced the roster moves Monday.
The WNBA decided last week teams had to cut down their rosters to 12 players or minimum by Tuesday. Teams will start to pay players on the final roster by June 1.
The Mystics selected Agnew in the second round out of Creighton with the 24th overall pick. They selected Sutton in the third round out of Texas. Both signed three-year entry-level deals after being drafted.
However, the Mystics were over the salary cap after re-signing 2019 WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne and 2019 WNBA Finals MVP Emma Meesseman this offseason.
Washington was initially $145,000 over the salary cap, according to Spotrac. The releases of Agnew and Sutton, drops their overage down to roughly $28,400. The Mystics now have of 11 players under contract.
The team added 2012 WNBA MVP Tina Charles and two-time Most Improved Player of the Year Leilani Mitchell this offseason.
The addition Charles gives the Mystics a stronger frontcourt joining Delle Donne and Meesseman. Mitchell is coming off a career-year last season with the Phoenix Mercury. She is expected to help withstand the loss of Kristi Toliver, who signed with the Los Angeles Sparks.
The Mystics return much of their WNBA title-winning core. Thus, Agnew and Sutton would have had an uphill battle making the roster or supplanting a veteran for minutes. Given the lack of practices and the delay of the start of the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, their challenges became more daunting.
