Hamby claims Aces were ‘unethical’ after trade

Dearica Hamby was traded from the Las Vegas Aces to the LA Sparks on Saturday, later alleging that her former organization treated her in an “unprofessional and unethical manner that … has been traumatizing” because of her pregnancy.

“Getting traded is part of the business,” Hamby said in a statement posted on Instagram. “That they lie to you, harass, manipulate and discriminate is not.”

The Aces sent Hamby, a core member of their 2022 WNBA champion team, and a 2024 first-round pick to the Sparks in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick and the trading rights to forward Amanda Zahui B The trade comes after Hamby — who had spent his entire career with the Las Vegas Aces/San Antonio Stars organization — signed a two-year contract extension with the Aces in June.

Hours after the trade was announced, Hamby made allegations against his former team. in a statement posted on Instagram.

Hamby, who announced during the Aces’ victory parade that she was expecting her second child, said in the statement that she planned to play the 2023 season and had made it known to the Aces. Although he was training with team staff throughout her pregnancy, he said he was told that I “wasn’t taking my workouts seriously” and that Aces staff told him they “didn’t see that” she would be ready to return.

“My character and work ethic have been attacked,” Hamby’s statement read. “They promised me things to tempt me to sign my contract extension that were not fulfilled. They accused me of signing my extension knowing that I was pregnant. This is false. They told me that I was ‘a question mark’ and that it had been said that I said I’d ‘get pregnant again’ and there was concern about my level of commitment to the team, I was told that I ‘didn’t keep my end of the bargain’ (because ‘nobody expected me to get pregnant in the next two years’).

“Did the team expect me to promise not to get pregnant in exchange for the contract extension? They asked me if I had planned my pregnancy. When I said no, they told me ‘I wasn’t taking precautions not to get pregnant.’ They moved me because ‘I wouldn’t be ready and we need bodies’.”

Hamby alleged that his “honesty was met with coldness, disrespect and contempt from members of management.”

“To be treated this way by an organization, BY WOMEN who are mothers, who have claimed to ‘be in these shoes,’ who preach about family, chemistry and women’s empowerment is disappointing and turns my stomach,” she continued. Hamby in his social media post. “We fought for provisions that would finally support and protect the parents of the players. This cannot now be used against me.”

As part of the new collective bargaining agreement enacted in 2020, WNBA players receive their full salary while on maternity leave, as well as a childcare stipend. There is a maternity cap exception that allows teams to sign a replacement player at their applicable minimum if they do not have salary cap space.

The WNBA Players Union (WNBPA) issued a statement after Hamby’s post, without specifying who it was, saying: “A member of our union has raised serious concerns regarding the conduct We will review this matter and seek a thorough investigation to ensure that your rights under the collectively bargained provisions of the 2020 CBA, as well as your rights and protections under state and federal law, have not been violated. federal”.

The Aces did not respond to a request for comment from ESPN. The WNBA said it had no comment at this time. But the WNBA players union said it will call for an investigation.

Meanwhile, Hamby, a two-time winner of the WNBA Sixth Player of the Year Award, expressed her excitement about joining the Sparks and tweeted: “The best is yet to come! I look forward to being in Los Angeles and can’t wait to get back on the court.”

“Adding Dearica to our roster plus a future first-round pick was a solid move for us,” Sparks general manager Karen Bryant said in a statement. “We’re excited to have another key piece in place as we begin free agency.”

The Sparks — who have a new head coach in Curt Miller and a general manager in Bryant — have already made some big moves through the trade, bringing in the veteran point guard Jasmine Thomas earlier this week from the Connecticut Sun.