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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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The Toronto Tempo have added significant help to their frontcourt, as they've reportedly traded with the Connecticut Sun to bring Aneesah Morrow to the roster.
Just two days ahead of the WNBA's trade deadline, ESPN's Alexa Philippou reported that Connecticut sent Morrow to Toronto in exchange for the rights to Maria Kliundikova and a 2028 second-round pick.
Morrow, who was the Sun's No. 7 pick in last year's WNBA Draft, is nearly averaging a double-double this season with 11.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists per game, and one steal per game.
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She joins a 10-18 Toronto team that is on the outside of the playoff standings, but still has a chance depending on how they play and how other teams play down the stretch. As of this writing, the New York Liberty are 16-13 and in eighth place among the playoff teams, with the Portland Fire, Phoenix Mercury, and Los Angeles Sparks all just below them.
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Meanwhile, the 7-22 Sun are the second-to-last team in the standings and seem to be headed towards the top of the WNBA Draft board, based on their continued lack of success. They're also moving to Houston, which will become the team's new home next season after 23 years in Connecticut.
Right now, it appears this trade is a significant win for the Tempo, based on the exchange. While Morrow has yet to play for her new team, she brings her rebounding, which is something Toronto needed to improve. The team is averaging 33 rebounds per game, which is currently the third-worst in the WNBA, whereas the Sun were about in the middle of the league in rebounds per game.
According to ESPN's report, Morrow remains under contract through 2027 and then has a team option for 2028, so she can become an unrestricted free agent in 2029.
Maria Kliundikova is a 6-foot-4 center who has been in the WNBA since 2018. After an eight-year hiatus from the league to play for Russia's UMMC Ekaterinburg, she came back to the W for brief stints with the Minnesota Lynx and Toronto Tempo.
Kliundikova last averaged 4.4 points, three rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game for the Lynx in 2025. She didn't come over to play for the WNBA this season with the Tempo after they selected her in the expansion draft. However, the Sun are hoping that she will be part of their roster for next season, when they are in Houston.
Toronto and Connecticut's deal may have also been the first of several more deals that could occur before the Sunday deadline. Several other players have been mentioned speculatively, including Los Angeles Sparks All-Star Kelsey Plum and the Chicago Sky's Skylar Diggins.
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