The Los Angeles Sparks' 2024 season continues to be a tough one, as the team struggles to find wins, their recent week being a prime example. They dropped three consecutive games, starting with an eight-point loss against the Connecticut Sun, followed by a six-point defeat against the Washington Mystics, and ending with a fourth-quarter collapse versus the Dallas Wings. While the team's overall record reflects struggles, there are a few bright spots. The Sparks have the best odds of getting the No. 1 pick in this year's draft, and they're also retaining key veterans, signing Azurà Stevens and Stephanie Talbot to one-year extensions through 2025. With Dearica Hamby also signing an extension earlier this year and the dynamic rookie duo of Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson as part of this Sparks core, you can see a good team competing for the playoffs being a possibility next season.

Despite the recent losses, some players are performing well individually, and it's time to hand out some grades, looking at the individual performances. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A "B" grade represents the average performance for that player.

Rickea Jackson Shines Bright

Rickea Jackson continues to be a highlight for the Sparks, showcasing her potential as a future star. Her recent week was her best yet in the WNBA. From her 50% shooting from deep, near-perfect performance from the charity stripe, and her team-high 34.6 minutes, she continues to raise the bar for what a good Rickea game means. If she continues anywhere near this production for the rest of the season, she will undoubtedly be in the conversation for Rookie of the Year.

Dearica Hamby's Fatigue?

Coming back from the Olympics, Dearica Hamby hasn't been at the top of her game. Perhaps she's feeling fatigued from all the playing she's done. There's also the discrimination complaint she filed against the Aces and WNBA that could weigh heavy on her mind. It's not that she's been bad; she's still scoring in double figures and pulling the most rebounds on the team. But she hasn't been the best player in each game and has had some lackluster performances. Hopefully, this is just a down week and Hamby will return to her All-Star form as August ends.

Azurà Stevens Continues to Shine

Azurà Stevens has been a star in her role for the Sparks this past week. She's shooting efficiently, grabbing a half dozen rebounds per game, and provides the team with good size and versatility on the perimeter. She will put up career numbers this season with the Sparks if she can maintain this level.

Li Yueru's Backup Role

Li Yueru has cemented herself as the backup big on this team and continues to get comfortable in that role. She is picking her spots well and handling the league's physicality better than at the start of the season. If she can attack the boards better and speed up defensively, maybe she can even crack the starting lineup and be part of a two-big starting five.

The Consistent Veteran, Jordin Canada

Jordin Canada has been consistent this week, playing a couple of shifts a night and being a net positive with a +16 over the past three games. It may not move the needle much, but she is a veteran you can depend on to play the right way and produce consistently.

Stephanie Talbot's Defensive Prowess

Defensively, Stephanie Talbot has been deflecting passes and forcing turnovers. Offensively, she had a poor shooting week and failed to convert on her 3-point shots. Similar to Canada, Talbot gives you a veteran who doesn't make mental errors, but you'd like to see her shoot a bit better from the field if she's going to play 20-plus minutes.

Chennedy Carter's Limited Minutes

There were not a lot of minutes for Chennedy Carter this week, and she struggled during her play. Even so, I'd like to see more time for her, especially if the Sparks are losing literally every game they have. She needs time to establish her post moves and spots on the floor she can attack. She can't do that sitting down and observing. Carter needs the reps, and she's shown signs that when she has the time to play through things, she can be a valuable asset. This week wasn't an example of that, but hopefully, she gets more play in September so the Sparks can see what she brings to the team.

Odyssey Sims' Instant Impact

Odyssey Sims signed a seven-day contract, flew to Los Angeles and played for the Sparks that same day. She has done well without practice time or an opportunity to get comfortable with the playbook. Sims gives this team an explosive offensive player off the bench, something the Sparks have been lacking all season long. The team clearly values her play, as they've signed her to another seven-day contract. With another week of games with L.A., perhaps she can return to the 17 points per game average she had with the Wings earlier this season.

The Struggles of Aari McDonald and Zia Cooke

Playing just a handful of minutes, Zia Cooke did not garner enough time on the floor to fairly judge her play. With the team losing so much and Cooke in her sophomore season, it'd be ideal to see if she has anything she can give to this team. Aari McDonald, on the other hand, has been out for the “foreseeable future” with her foot injury.

Coach Curt Miller's Ownership of the Situation

Sparks head coach Curt Miller has stated he's failed this team at times this season. This week has been the worst, given that they held a lead entering the fourth quarter in two of their three losses. Simply put, the Sparks had chances to win and Miller didn't push the right buttons late in games to secure the results. Miller, with a track record of 13-conference titles in 13-years, 2-WNBA Coy, the best record in the W over a 6-season stretch, & 2-final appearances, says he owns the poor performance, stating that he needs to be better for his young team.

Looking Towards the Future

If the Sparks are trying to win, they must close these games. If it's tanking time, let's see Carter and Cooke playing a lot and find out what they can contribute instead of giving heavy minutes to hardship contract players. Right now, the Sparks seem to be failing in both development and results, and that's not a good combination. The team needs to focus on player development and potentially reshuffle the roster to build for the future. While their playoff hopes are dwindling, the team can use these games as a learning experience for both players and coaches. The final month of the season presents an opportunity for the Sparks to solidify their strategy for the future, emphasizing player growth and making necessary adjustments to their roster.