Finally Done Wheelin' and Dealin'

Originally Published: Jul 28, 2010 2:42 PM CDT

Bobby Lewis
Oklahoma Sports Mobile Journalist

TULSA, Oklahoma – The dust has settled in downtown Tulsa and half of the team is gone. The WNBA trade deadline came and went and the Tulsa Shock, much like it had done throughout the season, made yet another deal.

Nolan Richardson’s team made one final move, sending Alexis Hornbuckle to the Minnesota Lynx for Rashanda McCants on Monday. Not only did that expedite all remaining Detroit Shock traces from the current makeshift roster, it capped off a wild three months of transactions by a team that is drowning in the standings.

“You have this team where the personnel is constantly changing,” said guard Kiesha Brown, added to the team on June 7th. “Yet, we’re still staying energetic and positive.”

Side by side, the lineups from opening night and Tuesday’s 105-89 loss to Atlanta look nothing alike. Only five players in the lineup against the Dream were on the roster against Minnesota back on May 15th.

Scholanda Robinson, Amber Holt, Shanna Crossley, Chante Black and Marion Jones are still wearing black and gold. Hornbuckle, Plenette Pierson, Natasha Lacy, Shavonte Zellous, Amanda Thompson and Kara Braxton are not.

“You don’t keep the same thing and look the same way,” explained Richardson after Tuesday’s loss. “I think you make the moves because (we) are an expansion team. It was important that I continue to tweak the team until we feel that we’ve got a good base and we’ve got good position in the draft.”

With the wheels on the roster carousel still spinning, Tulsa has to try to pick up the pieces of its self-inflicted roster riddle. The team is 4-20 overall and has only won just a single game since June 5th. The Shock finishes the season with 6 of 10 games on the road.

Up Next: Tulsa Shock vs San Antonio Silver Stars at the BOK Center on Friday, July 30th at 7 p.m.

Season Series: San Antonio leads 2-1. In three meetings, Tulsa is allowing 80 points per game.

ROSTER RECAPS:
OPENING NIGHT vs MIN TUESDAY vs ATL
Starters Starters
C Kara Braxton C Chante Black
F Plenette Pierson F Amber Holt
F Scholanda Robinson F Scholanda Robinson
G Shanna Crossley G Kiesha Brown
G Alexis Hornbuckle G Ivory Latta

Bench Bench
Amber Holt Nicole Ohlde
Natasha Lacy Shanna Crossley
Amanda Thompson Jennifer Lacy
Shavonte Zellous Tiffany Jackson
Marion Jones Marion Jones
Chante Black Rashanda McCants