The following article is part 1 of 2. Please find the Western Conference Breakdown HERE!

New cores are set to task the 2024 season as they seek to grasp the nuances of terminology, systems, and one another. Lineup experimentation is in full throttle; draft picks and new players to the league are assimilating, ready to make their mark as one of 144.

Headed into this year, much stands out about each team, as the regular season is full of potential. What are some things to track and note as the season gets underway?

Atlanta Dream

Former MVP Tina Charles is back in the WNBA, this being her first stint in Atlanta, and she has the potential to elevate this young group.

The Dream finished 10th in the league in two-point percentage, and Charles is one of the best post-scorers in league history. Adding a dynamic scoring presence could be pivotal for Atlanta in half-court offense settings, providing another threat when the game slows down.

Atlanta plays a motion offense predicated on reading and reacting to what a defense does, and Charles can do various things that cause a defense to respond. She’s capable of picking and popping to knock down perimeter shots. She’s a good screener who can roll to the rim and make the right reads as a passer. A big that can consistently stretch the floor is huge for a team that typically plays outside-in.

I’m eager to see the potential of her high-low game with Cheyenne Parker play out. Atlanta’s addition of her skillset and experience was a coup.

Chicago Sky

After drafting Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese in the first round of the 2024 WNBA Draft, the Sky seem to have their frontcourt of the future. Figuring out how to blend and develop their playstyles in tandem will be a crucial storyline this season and in the future.

Immediately, the Sky have the potential to be a prolific offensive rebounding team, something that could be a core piece of team identity. Cardoso is a force on the interior, a constant draw for defenders and box-outs. Reese has some of the best timing and ability to track the ball I’ve ever seen.

Reese is also a quality passer and decision-maker out of the high post, and I’d love to see her and Cardoso’s high-low game get highlighted, as they could feed off one another. With budding skill sets and a high baseline of what each can do already, I can’t wait to watch how the Sky assimilate as a team this season.

Connecticut Sun

The Sun return their core, but with some tweaks around the edges as they bolster for another deep playoff run. Brionna Jones is back and ready to go for 2024 after missing most of the 2023 season due to an Achilles injury, and she’ll provide a substantial boost on either end.

I’m so intrigued to see how Connecticut restructures its defense, or if they do at all.

Playing downsized out of necessity last season, the Sun were highly aggressive, looking to blitz ball screens and force turnovers. With Jones and Astou Ndour’s additional size in the mix, do the Sun adjust how they look to get stops?

This team has many bigger forwards and combo guards, with a few options on the wing. They often leaned into playing three-guard lineups last season, and I would expect that to continue. This could be a big year for DiJonai Carrington as she further carves her role out as a two-way wing.

Indiana Fever

The Indiana Fever set the foundation for a strong offense last season, built around the two-player game of Aliyah Boston and NaLyssa Smith, a remarkably dynamic post pairing. Kelsey Mitchell is a tremendous pick-and-roll and transition guard.

Indiana adds Caitlin Clark, one of the best early offense players we’ve seen in basketball. She’s also a stellar facilitator and quick decision-maker. The Fever’s transition play this season, with other key rotation players such as Katie Lou Samuelson added, will be amongst the best in the league.

I’m curious how everything meshes together when the game slows down. How do Clark and Boston create synergy in two-player actions? Boston was the best decision-maker and passer on the team last season, and getting her diverse touches is critical. How do Mitchell and Clark feed off one another? Who winds up the most consistent option to round out lineups? I’m so fascinated by the potential of this group and how Christie Sides and her staff mesh everything.

New York Liberty

The Liberty look to return to the Finals and put themselves in a better position to win. With a wholly revamped bench, they may have versatility in a way they did not last season.

Leonie Fiebich is a long and agile wing capable of shooting and playmaking in the flow of an offense. She stands out with her ground coverage and ability to bother guards at the point of attack.

Kennedy Burke returns to the W after a fantastic overseas season, bringing much of the same as a lengthy wing that can guard multiple positions. 

Ivana Dojkic is a strong ballhandler who can get into the paint, which could prove key for a New York team that wasn’t adept at getting to the rim.

Nyara Sabally is someone to watch who showed great flashes of high-level play last season, and fellow Liberty draft pick Marquesha Davis has one of the highest ceilings of the 2024 Draft class.

Washington Mystics

As the Mystics move into a new era with Natasha Cloud and Elena Delle Donne no longer in DC, this season is about building up what’s next.

Aaliyah Edwards figures to play into the mix now and moving forward. Brittney Sykes and Ariel Atkins are proven players in the league, with Sykes having a career season in 2023. Can either take another step forward in 2024?

Shakira Austin is the player I’m most curious to see grow. As a rookie in 2022, she played a crucial role for a very good Mystics team, expanded her role, and showed out early in 2023, but she was unfortunately sidelined with an injury.

Austin is one of the most intriguing prospects in basketball, a player who can do it all. With increased usage and responsibility, I think Austin has the potential to be the future face of the franchise, and this season is about further establishing that.

WNBA reporter Mark Schindler writes columns on WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter at @MG_Schindler. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its teams