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After beginning the year atop the league at 9-0, the New York Liberty have gone just 3-5 in their last eight games while enduring two significant absences. Following Leonie Fiebich's return to the lineup, Sandy Brondello offered yet another update on star center Jonquel Jones' injury return timeline.
With Jones still dealing with an ankle injury, Brondello does not see her returning anytime soon. Brondello does not expect the reigning Finals MVP to return before the July 17 All-Star break but still sees it as a “win” if she takes the court before August.
“If we can get her back after [the] All-Star break, that's still a win, isn't it?” Brondello told the New York Post's Madeline Kenney. “Because it was supposed to be in August.”
Jones has not played since re-aggravating her injury against the Phoenix Mercury on June 19. The Liberty have gone just 2-3 in their five games since then and have periodically struggled on both ends of the court.
While Jones remains on the shelf, the Liberty got Fiebich back from her month-long absence due to her EuroBasket participation. As the team's best shooter and top perimeter defender, her return was instrumental in New York's 89-79 win over the Los Angeles Sparks to snap a two-game skid.
Liberty struggling without Jonquel Jones
Without Jones and Fiebich, the Liberty looked far from a championship-level team in June. Fiebich's return helped them, but Jones is still arguably the team's most important offensive player. Even with Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu still in the rotation, the 2021 WNBA MVP is still irreplaceable.
Jones is averaging 12.6 points, 2.3 assists and a team-high 9.6 rebounds per game in her nine outings on the year. Jones is also posting 1.6 three-pointers per game on a 43.8-percent clip, her best since the 2018 season.
Without Jones in the lineup, the Liberty have turned to Nyara Sabally in the starting lineup. The third-year center is averaging 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in a career-high 18.9 minutes per game. New York lacks frontcourt depth behind Sabally, forcing Isabelle Harrison and Kennedy Burke to absorb reserve minutes.
