MINNEAPOLIS -- The construction of the Minnesota Lynx's 2013 roster is now complete.
The organization waived rookie free agent forward Shawnice Wilson on Thursday, hours before the WNBA's 4 p.m. deadline to have teams trimmed to 11 players. Minnesota will hold on to guard Sugar Rodgers, who was competing with Wilson for the final spot after guards Jacki Gemelos and Janeesa Jeffery were cut Wednesday.
Coming off their second straight WNBA Finals appearance and seeking a second championship in three years, the Lynx enter the season with three guards, two small forwards, four post players and two multi-position hybrids. Coach Cheryl Reeve apparently felt comfortable enough with a frontcourt comprised of Rebekkah Brunson, Amber Harris, Devereaux Peters and Janel McCarville to retain Rodgers and firm up the depth at guard.
That means Sugar but no Pepper in this year's bunch.
Wilson, Minnesota's tallest player entering preseason camp at 6-foot-6, scored just three points in 20 minutes during the Lynx's two preseason games. Commonly referred to as “Pepper,” she joined the franchise as an undrafted free agent out of Miami.
Rodgers, whose real name is Ta'Shauna, made a bit more noise in her only exhibition appearance, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers in the Lynx's loss to Connecticut on Tuesday. A second-round draft pick (14th overall) in April, she graduated as Georgetown's all-time leading scorer and joins a solid backcourt featuring veteran Lindsay Whalen and first-round draft pick Lindsey Moore.
Either Seimone Augustus or Monica Wright, each of whom can play the wing or orchestrate the offense, likely will eat minutes ahead of Rodgers as she learns the professional ropes.
Minnesota opens the regular season June 1 at home against Connecticut. Here's how the roster will look that day: G/F Seimone Augustus, F Rebekkah Brunson, F Amber Harris, F Rachel Jarry, F/C Janel McCarville, G Lindsey Moore, F Maya Moore, F Devereaux Peters, G Sugar Rodgers, G Lindsay Whalen, G/F Monica Wright.
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